Every feature microG provides (push notifications, exposure notification api, …) can be a danger to your privacy if you turn that feature on.
But microG isn’t a danger to your privacy, because microG gives you the full control about which of it’s features to turn on.
Anyone but you (the user) can’t tell your microG to give any of your data to anyone.
Neither any state (e. g. Germany) nor anyone else can turn your microG against you.
Your microG absolutely obeys you!
This is the very reason why microG exists. And you can trust this, because microG is 100% open source.
Even if an OS like /e/ comes with microG’s new (100% open source) implementation of the exposure notification api microG won’t betray you.
Translation for german privacy activists like myself:
Übersetzung für deutsche Datenschutz-Aktivisten wie mich:
Jede Funktion die microG anbietet (Push Benachrichtigungen, die Exposure Notification API, …) kann eine Gefahr für die Privatsphäre sein wenn man diese Funktion einschaltet.
Aber microG ist keine Gefahr für die Privatsphäre, weil microG einem die volle Kontrolle darüber gibt welche seiner Funktionen eingeschaltet ist.
Niemand außer man selbst kann dem eigenen microG sagen, dass es Daten an irgendwen geben soll.
Weder irgendein Staat (wie Deutschland), noch irgendwer sonst kann dein microG gegen dich verwenden.
Dein microG gehorcht einzig und allein dir!
Dies ist genau der Grund warum microG überhaupt existiert. Und das ist auch glaubwürdig, da microG 100% OpenSource ist.
Selbst wenn ein Betriebssystem wie /e/ microGs neue (100% OpenSource) Umsetzung der Exposure Notification API mitbringt wird microG dich nicht verraten.
Exposure Notification does not work at the moment, because /e/ developers decided to take an extra step of care. Some members of the community distrusted microG’s open source implementation of the API and that it would be disabled until you opt in. So it was decided to make the API an external package, which has to be specifically downloaded.
This is taking some time. Until they have sorted it out, you have to wait or find some build where the standard version of microG is included, which does support the API.
You should get it in the next dev updates… Most probably we will release it by end of next week.
There is an issue with the microG app not showing up in the list once you have installed it. The team is working to fix this.
Got an answer from the developers of the Coronalert App (two months after asking!). The App has to be downloaded from the Play services of the right country, so it cannot be done anonymously in the Aurora store. This means you need a G00gl account for it and partially making an /e/ phone a G00gl phone again. https://www.coronawarn.app/en/faq/#cause_3
And the phone cannot be rooted. A lot of reasons not to use the App. The same thing happened with Payconic and ItsMe, so I do not have any use for a smartphone anymore. I’ll use /e/ on a tablet without SIM.
If you are talking about the German Corona Warn app, it is now even available in f-droid, and includes the required libraries, i.e. not even a current microG is needed.
@pjmbraet the Corona Warn app for Germany is available in Aurora Store. I’m currently in Germany. So it can be downloaded anonymously. To be functional, it needs Google Play Services, however. @dalas.revo I can’t find it in F-droid? Do we have different F-droid stores or what?
Edit: I found it. It’s a fork of the Corona Warn App, named Corona Contact tracing Germany
Sorry, yes, it is a fork, but they say it is completely compatible. It is said to be only amended by the necessary components from Android/microG to make it work even on devices without PlayServices/microG.
This being said, it might even work for some other countries. The official German Corona Warn App links to the italian Immuni and Irish Covid Tracker among others. I am unsure if this holds true for the f-droid fork though. Maybe someone could try?
@dalas.revo@cedricoola
There are more and more options how to use a Corona app.
This is actually a good thing (more options -> good thing).
It may just be a little confusing.
For Germany there are currently (2020-12-08) three scenarios, which are all compatible to each other (means you’re phone will tell you if you met someone infected, even if she/he uses one of the other listed methods).
| 1. “official”: Download the german CWA (Corona-Warn-App) from PlayStore and use it with a Google-Phone. (only available when using a German internet connection)
| 2. “official without Google”: Download the CWA app either via AuroraStore (only available from a german internet connection) or from a third party website like APKMirror (works even if you don’t have a german internet connection). And use it on a phone with a exposure-notification enabled microG (not /e/ eOS, but for example everything downloaded from microg.org).
| 2.1. Alternatively use Magisk to enable exposure-notification for microG on /e/ eOS. (remember: you’ll need to reinstall Magisk after each /e/ eOS update)
On updating to the latest ROM today, for FP3 I downloaded the system-app for the corona app. On trying to enable Protect.scot I get the following screenshot. Any ideas how to sort it?
, so I don’t know 
. Time will tell.
