this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2025
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Microblog Memes

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since yesterday.. oop: https://mathstodon.xyz/@johncarlosbaez/114816283089805862

article: https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/07/unless-users-take-action-android-will-let-gemini-access-third-party-apps/

haven't found a public google announcement, the screenshot seems to be from emails

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I just want to be able to talk to my phone to set reminders and alarms. I used to be able to do this with the assistant. Now it's this invasive AI thing, and I do not have a replacement. :-(

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago

You should be able to go back to the old assistant: It should be in your Google app settings under Gemini settings > 'assistants from google’ and toggle back to the old assistant.

For how long this will remain doable I don't know.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 days ago (2 children)

You can turn it off by disabling or uninstalling the app. Not trying to defend google here, but for clarity "whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off" refers to the app not following standard android procedure for killing background processes from how i understand it. So you actually have to fully disable it in the system settings, not just swipe it away.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

What app? I don't have any Gemini app on my phone and I still have that malware popping up everywhere

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Have you checked in your system apps for Gemini or Bard? I have it disabled but the apk is still on my device under the "bard" name.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Is there a special place for system apps ? Search either Gemini or bard in the app list returns nothing

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Settings>Apps>See All>Select the context menu at the top right of the screen>Show System Apps

Then search for Assistant, Bard, Gemini and AI. Depending on your device it might be reskinned or stuffed into a different app that has been updated (Google Assistant for example at one point could be configured into a Gemini frontend)

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (4 children)

Nope. It's a user space app not tied to services. You just uninstall the app.

It's only an issue if it comes pre installed via retailer or manufacter. This includes pixels.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I assume it will be force fed to users on all commercial Android 16 phones soon.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago

They must have had an AI write that.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

Can I use an ai to mask my activity?

[–] [email protected] 95 points 3 days ago (9 children)

ok what phone should I get next

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

one that supports calyx os

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Ideally none at all. A linux phone if you have to have one.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 3 days ago (1 children)

We can't all be Jack White. I've tried. You cannot live in this society with no phone. Unless you have no friends and no job.

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[–] [email protected] -2 points 3 days ago (3 children)

It depends on whether you're using apps that require Play Integrity attestation, like some banking apps do.

If that's the case, consider the humble iPhone!

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 days ago

refurbished pixel > version 8, and graphene and pray android stays open source, otherwise idk brickphone for emergency only tbh

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (2 children)

A pixel. It comes without Gemini pre-installed. That or any phone on the planet without Gemini installed on Android. So the vast majority of them.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

What about Gemini Space (aka Ambient Data) that's tied to Android System Intelligence - which is a system app enabled by default that can be disabled (if you know how to disable system apps) but of course cannot be uninstalled.

Also google is planning to replace Assistant with Gemini in the near future so all phones that have assistant (which is again enabled by default on most if not all android phones) will get Gemini sooner or later.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 days ago

None of that has to do with what is being presented and posted here. They are not just sucking up your data without telling you or anything you didn't ask for when you manually installed Gemini.

Not wanting bullshit in my feed is a far cry from my views on privacy.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Check again. If you've got a pixel, you might have to go into your apps and use the search function to find it. It installs and hides itself as of some recent update.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 days ago (2 children)
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[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 days ago

If your current device supports LineageOS, you can install that. I've got no traces of Gemini on my Pixel 7, even with "gapps" installed.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 3 days ago (17 children)

Anything compatible with Graphene OS (https://grapheneos.org/); a second-hand Pixel will work best, if you can find one cheap. I use it as my daily driver on a Pixel 7a and it's great; it's the most stable and easiest-to-install custom ROM I've ever used, and I've been rooting my Android devices for over a decade now.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago

I’m considering a pine phone, but honestly idk.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago
[–] [email protected] 30 points 3 days ago (1 children)

How can we spy on you if you turn it off.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

More like how can they spy on you if you don't manually install this agent that does exactly what it's described to do but facts don't matter anymore I guess 🤷‍♂️

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Right! because this is the only app that Google is spying on you. what agent are you talking about? does exactly what? how do you know?

And all of google's history and business model totally doesn't matter, I guess.

Try harder… or not. 🤷‍♂️

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It likely installed in the background as a hidden 'app'. No user interaction required.

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