Does not have swipe except when using a Google library

No

You didn’t get the point. It’s about community relevance.

VPN is both, an interface on your device and a network connection (to a provider). Netguard only uses the first. So every request is going through Netguard but is not sent to a VPN provider, it leaves your device like it would if Netguard wasn’t active.

So no VPN provider can see your traffic.

While being sent through your local Netguard, the request is checked whether it should be blocked or not. This is done by its name. If the name is on a block list (real list or manually blocked) Netguard ensures that the request will end in nowhere otherwise it will go through.

I hope that was sarcasm.

Signal, Threema, SimpleX.

Your source is ridiculous. Please educate yourself about more how Signal works.

So it is true. Why do you call it not true?

This. Thread can be closed

No. It’s not. Please take a look at different licenses in this area, whatever ‘libre’ means

I recommend disabling iCloud

Not really. On Android you can do much to achieve much more privacy. On iOS you can nearly do nothing. The options provided by Apple to restrict data usage are not doing their jobs according to privacy analysis by Kuketz thus resulting in a Apple marketing campaign based on lies that most believe and are convinced of

How mich privacy do you want?

Much? Don’t use Apple. It is worse than Android. Google Android is bad as well but you can make substantial changes. Beste would be a custom ROM but that’s an extreme change and way

You don’t want to change iOS? You have to get rid of many Apple apps but I guess, it’s not possible.

So remaining: AppleTV, Spotify, Netflix, Amazon, defenitely Discord!, WhatsApp, YouTube, Telegram, definitely HuawaiHealth.

Some of the others I don’t know but I’m sure they should be avoided as well. Use Websites with blockers in browser instead of apps.

That is the least to do or accept beging heavily tracked

Google phone for Graphene is mandatory therefore not my suggestion.

Lineage should not be your alternative as it is not privacy orientated. Take a look at Divest or /e/. There are many supported devices and in terms of privacy much better than Lineage. But in terms of security it is: Divest >> Lineage > /e/

You can check what devices are supported and which suits your needs best

Definitely I would do so in Signal and never Telegram. What a question

Not activated by default. First strike. Cannot be activated in group chats. Second strike.

Saying “it sucks that they decided” sounds like blaming these users.

Not really. You carry arround a Google devices and people notice the brand and devices are more valuable when also desired second hand.

All of this supports Google

It is not. Please educate yourself a bit more. They obviously cannot randomize all data. It is more a besteht effort approach.

Graphene and Lineage are the most uncomparable custom roms. Have and look at security and privacy and the type of Google Play handling.

See https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm to geht a first idea

There are only a few to consider. /e/os if you want it easy or DivestOS if you want it most secure and private. All the other possibilities have disadvantages compared to these.

Please be aware that you should buy FP5 as FP4 has huge hardware issues and the support is a dissapointment.

/e/ is announced as ‘degoogled’ but that’s not 100 % true (and not nearly as well). For example MicroG connects to Google as well as connectivity backup check. Patch level is far behind AOSP. The App Lounge uses clean APK for some apps which is very risky. Communication is a problem and they do not react like they should for example when Mike Kuketz analysed /e/ and found several problems.

The community is huge and they support many devices.

DivestOS is better in most points but is managed by one person alone. MicroG is not included by default (if you need it) and multi sim support is a problem.