How to jail google?

Question

I'm currently flashing my Samsung A3 (2015) with Lineage OS because I begin to be really annoyed by google's intrusions in private life. But the thing is that I've to admit that google has some great tools (like google maps/Play store), and even if there exists some very good alternatives (like Open Street Map), I'd like to be able to use them when I really need them. However, most of the time they should be "jailed", so that I can call them only when needed.

In an ideal world I'd like:

• To control what they can access (GPS/file system...) and provide wrong data if needed
• Shut down them most of the time, and manually start them when needed

It looks like I want a virtualisation/chroot-like solution, but I'd like to use android facilities to avoid an heavy full virtualization.

Any ideas?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Even if you want, you cannot always stop Google from collecting data. For example, read this question.

There are some processes that we, as a layman, can take resort to.

Firstly, go to the apps in settings and deny permissions from the apps. This will prevent apps from getting any unnecessary data.

Secondly, use apps like DataEye. It stops apps and system services from using data as per your choice. Stop all apps from accessing data, except the ones you really need. This way, those apps won't be able to send anything to Google. When you start those apps, DataEye would ask you whether you would like to allow data access. I personally use it to stop apps from showing up ads, and it works great.

Thirdly, I found this. It seems to completely mummify apps as per your wish. I haven't used it, but it has good ratings. If google apps can be mummified, then they'll not be able to send statistics to Google.

Answer 2

If your device is supported by an official LineageOS build, it's also supported by the special LineageOS for microG builds. Those replace the GApps with the more light-weight and privacy oriented microG framework, which should meet your purpose:

• control location access: µG ships with UnifiedNLP, which takes care for location stuff. It's then up to you to chose location providers. There are some using "online services" – but also some that work completely offline, like the LocalGSM provider I use: it downloads a CellId database for the region you chose, and then uses that to obtain your "network location". So your location doesn't need to be uploaded anywhere. Works like a charm.
• shut them down: not needed then, see previous bullet point. Nothing is sent to Google that way.

µG doesn't come with Playstore (or any other proprietary Google components), but it covers most of what Google Services does (except for ads and tracking stuff). You can e.g. use YalpStore to access the Playstore (either anonymously, or with your own account data), which even allows updating/installing apps you've bought. Note however that you can neither buy apps with it (you can do so using your web browser), nor can it do "license verification" (so apps relying on Google's vending.CHECK_LICENSE won't work). If you need the latter, AFAIK there are ways to replace the "FakeStore" integrated with µG by the official Playstore app.

PS: Of course you also can integrate µG with your specific custom ROM, and then take care to e.g. chose Playstore over FakeStore from the beginning. But that requires some extra work.