Help How to disable location services for REAL?

[louis2008]

Hi
In iOS, when I click to disable location services, In WeChat it will not be able to access my location and recommend nearby persons.

However, when I have the location service disabled, it still accesses my location and finds out who is nearby, it obviously has overrode my setting. I am so disappointed.

How to disable location service for a particular apps, or all apps in Android for real?

 

[mikedt]

This is Wechat on Samsung Note 7...tap Deny and Wechat doesn't get my the location.

I believe this feature was added in Marshmallow 6.0, ability to Allow or Deny individual permissions for any apps.

What device have you actually got there, and what Android version is it?

 

[louis2008]

This is Wechat on Samsung Note 7...tap Deny and Wechat doesn't get my the location.

View attachment 109773


I believe this feature was added in Marshmallow 6.0, ability to Allow or Deny individual permissions for any apps.

What device have you actually got there, and what Android version is it?

XiaoMi 4i , but I do not know the version of Andorid, where to check? can I upgrade the version?

 

[mikedt]

It's running MIUI, Xiaomi's heavily branded, customized, skinned and modified version of Android. Something that many Chinese manufacturers like to do. It's very likely Lollipop 5.x based, which doesn't have the individual app permissions feature. Apparently MIUI 8 is Marshmallow 6.0 based, and so should have it. Can get it here...
http://en.miui.com/thread-333403-1-1.html
There's other custom ROMs available for this phone as well, like CyanogenMod, etc, and again should have Marshmallow 6.0 versions.

 

[Bg260]

You could try this too.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.faircode.netguard&hl=en

 

[louis2008]

It's running MIUI, Xiaomi's heavily branded, customized, skinned and modified version of Android. Something that many Chinese manufacturers like to do. It's very likely Lollipop 5.x based, which doesn't have the individual app permissions feature. Apparently MIUI 8 is Marshmallow 6.0 based, and so should have it. Can get it here...
http://en.miui.com/thread-333403-1-1.html
There's other custom ROMs available for this phone as well, like CyanogenMod, etc, and again should have Marshmallow 6.0 versions.

I also have an Android that is Samsung J5. I don't know it's version and if I can do anything to customize the permission

In fact, I don't really need to customize the permission for a particular application, however, I need it to
TRULY disable the permission when I do not want an app to have the permission.

i.e. Now, even location service is totally disabled in the setting, WeChat could still override my setting get the location, which is something I really hate and wish to know how to deal with it.

 

[louis2008]

You could try this too.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.faircode.netguard&hl=en

Hi blocking access to the internet???? I do not want that, I am using all the apps that need to connect to the internet to work. I only want to block them from getting my location

 

[Bg260]

Connecting to the internet is how they get your location. How accurate of a location are you talking about? Whenever you connect to the internet it broadcasts your IP address.

 

[mikedt]

I also have an Android that is Samsung J5. I don't know it's version and if I can do anything to customize the permission

J5 came with Lollipop 5.1, and has been updated to Marshmallow 6.0.1 I believe. But you'd have to check that yourself via, Settings > Software updates.

In fact, I don't really need to customize the permission for a particular application, however, I need it to
TRULY disable the permission when I do not want an app to have the permission.

i.e. Now, even location service is totally disabled in the setting, WeChat could still override my setting get the location, which is something I really hate and wish to know how to deal with it.

If you turn off, Settings > Location completely, Wechat does a requester for location permission, but if you tap Deny, and check Do not ask again, it stays that way. and can't "override" That's how you deal with it. ...that's how it is on Samsungs at least. If Xiaomi has done something different with their implementation of Android, MIUI, I don't know. I've never had one.

Wechat itself only requires location, for when you actually do something that needs to know where you are, like People nearby, or you want to send your location to a contact.

 

[louis2008]

J5 came with Lollipop 5.1, and has been updated to Marshmallow 6.0.1 I believe. But you'd have to check that yourself via, Settings > Software updates.



If you turn off, Settings > Location completely, Wechat does a requester for location permission, but if you tap Deny, and check Do not ask again, it stays that way. and can't "override" That's how you deal with it. ...that's how it is on Samsungs at least. If Xiaomi has done something different with their implementation of Android, MIUI, I don't know. I've never had one.

Wechat itself only requires location, for when you actually do something that needs to know where you are, like People nearby, or you want to send your location to a contact.

It's not a problem of how wechat uses my location. It's a problem of how Xiaomi deals with the location privacy. Total disable of location service does not actually disable any location service in WeChat. WeChat could still get my location without even notifying me if I should turn ON the location service. It's really bad.

Did you mean it's due to the old version of Android or it's due to the Xiaomi?

Should I update my Xiaomi version or Android version?

After update, would data like chat history lose?

 

[mikedt]

I suggest changing the ROM to something that isn't Chinese MIUI. Fortunately with a Mi 4i you've got a choice I think....CyanogenMod, Paranoid, etc.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/mi-4i
http://en.miui.com/type-80-86.html

If you're starting the phone clean with a new ROM, Wechat will delete chat history, so you might want to copy and paste anything important out of it. But it does retain anything tagged as favourites, all your contacts of course, and anything you posted to Moments is retained as well. I do use Wechat a lot myself, especially with me being in China.

 

[chanchan05]

It's not a problem of how wechat uses my location. It's a problem of how Xiaomi deals with the location privacy. Total disable of location service does not actually disable any location service in WeChat. WeChat could still get my location without even notifying me if I should turn ON the location service. It's really bad.

Did you mean it's due to the old version of Android or it's due to the Xiaomi?

Should I update my Xiaomi version or Android version?

After update, would data like chat history lose?

It's Xiaomi.

 

[louis2008]

OK

So now, I am getting lost

What's the conclusion? What can I do now to 100% make sure that one or all apps would not be able to get my location?

An app in Xiaomi 4i could still get and record my location even if location service is OFF?

How about an app in Samsung J5 running Android 5.1.1?

I am more focused on my phone Samsung J5. In this phone, I NEVER done anything ROOT or ROM or Jailbreak to it and I know nothing about that, after disabling location service could any app still get my location?

The biggest problem I have to deal with is that I have to install a particular app where there is NO alternative to it, however, I have to make it 100% that the app / app developer will not be able to get my location. I am NOT worried about cellular service provider, country security sectors or police officers to get my location. I just HATE that apps, but I cannot live without it, No Joke

 

[mikedt]

Do

OK

So now, I am getting lost

What's the conclusion? What can I do now to 100% make sure that one or all apps would not be able to get my location?

An app in Xiaomi 4i could still get and record my location even if location service is OFF?

How about an app in Samsung J5 running Android 5.1.1?

I am more focused on my phone Samsung J5. In this phone, I NEVER done anything ROOT or ROM or Jailbreak to it and I know nothing about that, after disabling location service could any app still get my location?

The biggest problem I have to deal with is that I have to install a particular app where there is NO alternative to it, however, I have to make it 100% that the app / app developer will not be able to get my location. I am NOT worried about cellular service provider, country security sectors or police officers to get my location. I just HATE that apps, but I cannot live without it, No Joke

FYI Tencent, the makers of Wechat, are partners with Xiaomi and do have a major investment in them apparently.
http://thenextweb.com/asia/2013/07/...-week-on-product-related-partnership-with-qq/
https://www.techinasia.com/report-tencent-invest-2-billion-xiaomi-xiaomi-confirms-collaboration

Of course Xiaomi could have done anything they like with MIUI, like if their partners want your location information, they're going to get it. Wechat is "free", and so is MIUI. Xiaomi makes MIUI available for many phones, not just their own, so they're going to want to monetize it somehow .

EULA is subject the laws and courts of the People's Republic of China...good luck with your privacy!

IANAL

I'm definitely sure that Wechat doesn't get my location with a Samsung running Marshmallow 6.0.1, if I don't want it to.

 

[louis2008]

Do


FYI Tencent, the makers of Wechat, are partners with Xiaomi and do have a major investment in them apparently.
http://thenextweb.com/asia/2013/07/...-week-on-product-related-partnership-with-qq/
https://www.techinasia.com/report-tencent-invest-2-billion-xiaomi-xiaomi-confirms-collaboration

Of course Xiaomi could have done anything they like with MIUI, like if their partners want your location information, they're going to get it. Wechat is "free", and so is MIUI. Xiaomi makes MIUI available for many phones, not just their own, so they're going to want to monetize it somehow .

EULA is subject the laws and courts of the People's Republic of China...good luck with your privacy!

IANAL

I'm definitely sure that Wechat doesn't get my location with a Samsung running Marshmallow 6.0.1, if I don't want it to.

Please do not always connect a question about location privacy to government or country security issues, and thinking that the people who raise that kind of questions are always trying to hide themselves from the government

I will not explain into details. The only thing I want is to make 100% sure that a particular app (not developed by Xiaomi) would not get my location at any time for any reasons. We know
that most of the time an app uses your location only for the users' convenience by providing them
more customized experience, however, I also know that some apps will use my location to do
something undesired to any users.

I am not trying to hide myself from Xiaomi, or any country security tracking.

Marshmallow 6.0.1? What is it? My Samsung J5 is on Android 5.1.1

 

[mikedt]

Please do not always connect a question about location privacy to government or country security issues, and thinking that the people who raise that kind of questions are always trying to hide themselves from the government

Nothing to do with hiding from governments. However the Chinese government does have full access to any data held on servers in China. A company must comply with in order to hold an ICP(Internet Content Provider) licence in the PRC. Which includes Wechat.

I will not explain into details. The only thing I want is to make 100% sure that a particular app (not developed by Xiaomi) would not get my location at any time for any reasons. We know
that most of the time an app uses your location only for the users' convenience by providing them
more customized experience, however, I also know that some apps will use my location to do
something undesired to any users.

But Wechat was developed by a major investor in Xiaomi. Tencent invested $2 billion USD in Xiaomi three years ago. And they are still a major business partner with them. And then you end up with Xiaomi's MIUI giving Wechat and Tencent your location data, whether you want to or not.That's what's happening.

I am not trying to hide myself from Xiaomi, or any country security tracking.

Marshmallow 6.0.1? What is it? My Samsung J5 is on Android 5.1.1

It's all about monetization, making $$$$ from you. Wechat is free to use, they want something in return for that of course. AFAICT Wechat and Xiaomi wants your location data to serve you targeted ads most likely.

Tencent are basically an advertising, data and internet services company in China, pretty much the same type of business as Google. With a whole range of internet and data products, not just Wechat.

Marshmallow 6.0.1 is a recent version of Android, that has much better permission controls than previous versions. So if you don't want Wechat, Tencent, Xiaomi, etc. to know where you are, you can deny it completely, unlike Lollipop 5.1.1, and older versions.

 

[chanchan05]

As mikedt said, it's not about you wanting to hide from the government, but the government forcing Xiaomi and WeChat to track you. They're both basically owned by the same people, and Xiaomi deliberately makes it hard for you to disable tracking because that's what their government tells them they must do.

Basically this whole post can be summed as F Xiaomi.

The best recourse is simply to dump them as a manufacturer.

 

[louis2008]

As mikedt said, it's not about you wanting to hide from the government, but the government forcing Xiaomi and WeChat to track you. They're both basically owned by the same people, and Xiaomi deliberately makes it hard for you to disable tracking because that's what their government tells them they must do.

Basically this whole post can be summed as F Xiaomi.

The best recourse is simply to dump them as a manufacturer.

So now, my Samsung J5 running on Android 5.1.1 , is it safe? I have disabled location service, does it mean it 's good enough for Samsung (and Apple iPhone)

 

[chanchan05]

So now, my Samsung J5 running on Android 5.1.1 , is it safe? I have disabled location service, does it mean it 's good enough for Samsung (and Apple iPhone)

Should be. Wechat will keep on asking you to turn it one when you login, but you can probably ignore it.

 

[louis2008]

Should be. Wechat will keep on asking you to turn it one when you login, but you can probably ignore it.

Yes, in Samsung, WeChat will at least "ask" whether turn it on or not.

In Xiaomi 4i, WeChat just DON'T ask , it just turns on,....

However, China is the primary market for Samsung. Don't they need to abide by the Chinese's "rule" like Xiaomi?

 

[chanchan05]

No they don't. They aren't a Chinese company. The