this post was submitted on 21 Jan 2026
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PSA: Nova Launcher added Facebook and Google Ads tracking (lemmings.world)
submitted 3 days ago by cm0002@lemmings.world to c/privacy@programming.dev
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The latest update for the popular Nova Launcher app includes Facebook Ads and Google AdMob.

Compare 8.2.4: https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/698198/

With 8.1.6: https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/673643/

From 2 trackers to 6 trackers. From 30 permissions to 36. And two of the "trackers" are for ad stuff, like Facebook Ads.

I believe the owner also changed. It's no longer Branch, but something called Instabridge Sweden.

By @K0Z@lemdro.id

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[–] SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world 6 points 3 days ago

Sigh. TY. Gonna have to make sure my "Rethink" VPN is always up, and blocking Nova's net access since I don't think I use any features from it that require such.

[–] cerebralhawks@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Free version or Prime as well? Had Prime like 15 years.

[–] KickMeElmo@sopuli.xyz 7 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Same app, but when I went to cut off network access to it just a few minutes ago it had zero network utilization, so presumably prime skips that.

[–] SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world 3 points 3 days ago

Well, that's good to know. Bought the app like a decade ago, sucks to see it atrophy.

[–] cerebralhawks@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago

That's what they said in the announcement when they acquired Nova (someone else posted their announcement). Well, they didn't mention tracking, they just mentioned ads.