If you're going to use WhatsApp ( and not Signal 😮💨 ), at least use it in a separate profile ( using Shelter ) so it doesn't scan your contacts ( and probably everything else )
In Android operating system, work profiles can be enabled using Android's Admin panel ( I think that's what they call it ), which requires a Google account, in a degoogled Android, we use Shelter which can enable the Work profile, apps in work profiles are isolated/separated from the main one, and they don't have access to your main profile's data, unless you allow it, you can also freeze apps when you lock your phone, ( apps like .... Ahhm excuse me, I mean SPYWARE like Facebook, Tiktok keeps running in the background sending data and that might be a useful for that )
In CalyxOS you can set the VPN ( ProtonVPN ) to route all your traffic ( including the work profile ) thru the VPN tunnel, giving you extra layer of protection. ( I don't know if it's possible on LineageOS )
Personally I won't take the risk of using Big tech apps from Meta, especially Meta,Tiktok and Google even in the work profile, I consider these apps to be spyware, and what spyware does is bypassing your guards and firewalls, working in mysterious ways ( proprietary Software ), and finally gathering as much info as possible from the infected device ( in the background off course )
Thanks may have to try shelter since the camera thing has been an issue on insular and caused me to put ABSOLUTELY PROPREITARY apps on my main profile lol
This is common in Stock Android OS, creating Work profiles using Shelter is painful, I think due to the vendor unecessary twearks and additions which may look and feel good but increase the attack surface, and judging by all the crashes it indicates poorly written code
From Shelter's repo
Shelter is only as safe as the Work Profile implementation of the Android OS you are using
As for VPNs I'm not sure why wouldn't they work, g73 has Android 13 or 14, see what kind of error message you're getting and look it up, maybe ask here or on XDA developers forum
"Either VPN permission missing, or another app is in always on VPN mode". I searched settings for VPN and found an app called "VPN dialogs" and something about VPN certificatea
In CalyxOS you can set the VPN ( ProtonVPN ) to route all your traffic ( including the work profile ) thru the VPN tunnel, giving you extra layer of protection. ( I don't know if it's possible on LineageOS )
Your phone has a feature called Work Profile that can be used to isolate your personal and work apps from each other. Normally you need to sign in to a company-specified app like Microsoft Company Portal to activate Work Profile, but Shelter is a simple, open-source app that will do it instead.
Is this necessary if I avoid Meta products entirely and already use DDG app tracking protection for everything else? Regardless, I can't find "Shelter" on the Play Store anyway.
Just recently discovered shelter, too. I would have gotten it way earlier if I knew. Had to install an app that I knew was too grabby with data (luckily for one-time use) and only found out about shelter researching how to stop it from spying too much.
banking apps are really annoying in this regard, they come with tons of trackers, and often times they use their mobile apps as a Security layer for your account, so you have to install them...
glad to see my banking app works in the work profile and doesn't require play services ( I dont and never will use a Google or Apple system )