How to disable hidden trackers, in google play store applications

Question

So most applications, on google play have hidden trackers, analytics they don't tell you about. This site lets you search any app shows trackers. The article explains what i'm talking about.

Example: https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/reports/37324/

Article : https://theintercept.com/2017/11/24/...-android-apps/

Article : https://www.wired.com/story/android-users-to-avoid-malware-ditch-googles-app-store/

The second article explains Fdroid is partly a solution as those apps there don't have these trackers. One other not a full solution is uninstalling the app removes the tracker.

Certain apps on google play store either open source or proprietary don't include trackers as far as exodus-privacy.eu.org analysis is aware of, it's possible there's some there unaware of as they state.

Applications without trackers could later receive trackers through application updates. The other option is researching the extent of the specific trackers used in certain applications and what there been used for.

I want to know how it's possible to disable these trackers, analytics so there not active in the background "while" using these apps.

I saw XPrivacyLua xposed module can disable certain analytics.

Appreciate all advice.

Answer 1

Root access needed

Both of these apps are likely using built in pm disable command in Android, which lets you to disable app's services, activities, receivers and providers (all of these can be done from command line too). Significant part of ads and tracking stuff can be disabled this way. Of course developer can hide whatever they want, so it won't be accessible through pm disable. Afaik it can disable only things mentioned in app's manifest. Also apps can reenable all of these back (I think I noticed such behavior only in system apps)

1) MyAndroidTools Pro (which I use)
It has free and paid versions. Author was banned in Play Store, but you can still buy outdated version (1.5.1 instead of 1.6.0) on Amazon or find apk somewhere else..
App has convenient option to display component info after new app is installed/updated.
Developer made Xposed module to prevent apps reenabling components, but it was abandoned long time ago, so you'll have to check if it works for you.

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2) Lucky Patcher
Free app, also not in Play Store. Downside: developer started embedding ads (removed in current version) and analytics recently, which require excessive permissions.
To disable components:
Long tap on app in the list -> Change The App's Components -> Disable components 'pm disable' method (may be enabled by the application) -> Select components -> Apply