I am being forced into installing Life360 on my phone, which as you all probably know, is a massive privacy violation. Just by looking through the AppStore data page, lots of sensitive information gets shared with third parties. There’s got to be a way to disable it, and only enable it when necessary right? Or am I out of options here? Even though it’s only slightly less of a privacy risk, I’d prefer using Apple’s find my service, which has most of the features that Life360 has, while also being built in to every iOS device. How do I reason with this person?
I was in a situation where I saw tv commercials for the first time in years. And I saw one for life360, and it was so unhinged. Something about a mother going on and on about how her child would die, and the solution was this app.
You can:
- Use an email alias to sign up so that information isn’t connected to you personally.
- Install it in a work profile for additional sandboxing
- Use something like MockMyGPS to fake your location at any given moment
- Request to use a different app that accomplishes the same thing but with a reasonable privacy policy and E2EE like Paralino.
- Reconsider your relationship with this person.
How is this person forcing you? Are you an adult? So they provide the material benefits for your life, like good and shelter?
If “yes” to being an adult, and then “no” to being a dependent or an employee, then this requires a lot more conversation.
If you have an android phone, you can make use of FDroid and Islands/‘Insular’ (without root access) to have a separately secure side of your phone for apps and system settings.
For example, I loaded all of my work apps in there and then set a VPN so that ALL OFF THEM were unable to connect to the Internet when the VPN was offline, so that the ip-location and the DNS didn’t tattle on my travels. My regular phone use was secured away to the point I couldn’t accidentally send photos from my regular photos app through my work email app, only the second copy that lived within that ‘secure folder’ style partition.
Obviously your situation is harsher but at least you can mitigate a bit by being able to offline the app for considerable intervals, this way.
Good luck. I hope that you share more of this story.
Edit: I see you are stuck on iOS. I have zero suggestions for your specific situation besides “work on the relationship, and your always have the right to walk away from the business or the adult relationship if it’s untenable.”
Life360 is mostly sold to parents to keep tabs on their children. Sorry OP, but if you’re under the age of majority in your country and your parents pay for all your stuff, you gotta do what they say.
https://f-droid.org/packages/com.oasisfeng.island.fdroid for other lurkers curious about this app like I was
Hey, thanks!
Who forces you? Employer: they buy you a new phone. Otherwise: ignore, call the cops, or dont use a smartphone
Is carrying a second phone logged into a junk account an option for you?
I love that idea, but it would probably cost money because of a second SIM card. Maybe I could look into buying a prepaid card
If it is for work they should be paying for it.
Red pocket has 15$/m unlimited plans If you want a cheap sim
Use Wi-Fi on the extra phone, or tether to your main phone that has A sim
Look, I get I’m being a bit of an asshole with this answer, but given what little you’ve provided it’s the only one I can think of: get a phone (a google pixel) that can install an operating system that actually cares about your privacy (grapheneos). Then use its sandboxing to protect you from privacy invasion generally, and Life360 specifically.
Ehhh, graphene may not be the best rec anymore given Google isn’t publishing AOSP source anymore and we don’t know if we can force them to through court. postmarketOS seems good, probably, but I’ve never tried it myself. Calling any other opinions!
The team has already stated existing pixels will remain supported. The Pixel 8 for example still has support until around 2030. Its still viable to recommend them.
That’s not entirely true and Graphene is still currently probably the best OS solution. Google isn’t releasing as much stuff for the Pixel (which Graphene will be relying on in the future) but AOSP is still around and still getting releases.
https://www.androidauthority.com/google-not-killing-aosp-3566882/
Developing situation and I’m not laser-focused on it (I have other stuff on my mind like a broken bone and the fascism going on) hence “may”, but this ^ is what I’m going off. Don’t get me wrong, I run GrapheneOS myself and it’s a great daily driver; I’ve just been looking for alternatives because of this news.
Alternatives are always good to have on the table but AOSP isn’t going anywhere, just wanted to point that out.
GOS can’t stop you from volunteering your information.
Your explanation lacks enough detail to give a proper answer. Seems like there are some petty important details being left out of this story.
That said, I’d just use an old phone and turn it off/stick it in a blackout bag when not required.
