[e40]

As a consumer I am very disappointed and feel being deceived by Google.

Why Google and not the maker of the phone? They're the ones that wrote the backdoor that sent stuff to China. You're not suggesting that Google helped with that, are you?

[codedokode]

And Google advertises Android as free, open source, linux-based OS. "open" is supposed to mean I can do whatever I want with it but in fact I cannot even access the iptables.

[elorant]

Jailbreak a phone and you can surely do whatever you want on it. Other than that it's not Google's fault how a manufacturer customizes the software.

[aNoob7000]

If it is an Android phone with Google Play store then it is definitely Google's fault. Maybe Google should stop manufacturers from installing Android on their phones when they are doing things like this.

You want me to tell you why Google won't do anything, because Google doesn't give a crap about what manufacturers do as long as they keep installing Android on as many phones as possible and in return they get more advertising dollars.

[codedokode]

The phone has Google Services including Play Store (which I never used because it needs a Google Account, so I download software either from F-droid or from apkpure). But I don't know if it is licensed. It is noname chinese manufacturer that probably doesn't care much about american copyright (and GPL too because I could not find any links to linux kernel source code at their website).

> You want me to tell you why Google won't do anything, because Google doesn't give a crap about what manufacturers do as long as they keep installing Android on as many phones as possible

Google could allow controlling firewall on Android (and getting root access). The only reason they don't do it is because then users will be able to block tracking and advertisement.

[maxsilver]

> If it is an Android phone with Google Play store then it is definitely Google's fault. Maybe Google should stop manufacturers from installing Android on their phones when they are doing things like this.

If it's GMS Certified, sure.

It's possible (common even) for some shady OEMs to install Google Play Store, despite not being GMS certified. Asking them to prevent that is a lot like demanding a stop to all software piracy.

[elorant]

because Google doesn't give a crap about what manufacturers do as long as they keep installing Android on as many phones as possible and in return they get more advertising dollars.

And why exactly is that bad?

[aNoob7000]

Because Google has no incentive to fix the issue.

[c0nfused]

It's not their issue to fix.

Do you demand Microsoft take action because say Lenovo installs superfish?

You make Lenovo fix it instead of a tangentially related company like Microsoft.

Same thing here. It's not a Google issue.

[closeparen]

"Open" means the re-distributor can do whatever they want with it, as long as they pass along the source under the same license. Software licenses with strings attached like "you must let end-users access the iptables" are emphatically nonfree.

[joshumax]

Actually, licenses like the GPLv3 have been actively trying to prevent this in certain cases [1]

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tivoization

[jlgaddis]

Upvoting because you are absolutely 100% correct (and because I'm trying to help prevent HN from becoming more like Reddit where everyone "downvotes to oblivion" statements they don't like).

[codedokode]

Google could provide easy ways to control Internet traffic and to gain root access. For example, they could grant access to builtin linux iptables which doesn't cost anything to implement. And Google is easier to influence than noname chinese company.

Or they could not to sell Android license to companies not repecting consumer's privacy.

Even if I got refunded, what would I buy instead? Free market doesn't work here and all major manufacturers have some form of tracking and preinstalled software built in. It looks like the only way is to buy a backdoored proprietary device and replace a ROM (and then solve all kinds of problems with hardware not working properly or battery getting drained).

[hx87]

> Google could provide easy ways to control Internet traffic and to gain root access. For example, they could grant access to builtin linux iptables which doesn't cost anything to implement. And Google is easier to influence than noname chinese company.

And the manufacturer could simply unroot the phone and lock its bootloader. At the end of the day it's the phone manufacturer that controls the product, even if Google tries to prohibit such practices in its contracts.

[codedokode]

My phone has an option to unlock a bootloader. But it would take time to find or build a custom ROM and install it and solve all kinds of problems with drivers and hardware.

And generally it is pretty decent model. It sends some data home but at least it doesn't have preinstalled adware like another chinese tablet I saw (that displays an ad over browser window and tries to disguise it as a part of a web page).

[whyagaindavid]

Then do not buy such hardware. Do your homework or search or ask xda before buying phone/tablet. Or just get nexus or see copperheadOS