Tech products need to just fuck off and stay in their lane. Why are you, an app, deciding whether I can use an OS level feature or not? Why is my hardware deciding which OS I'm allowed to run?
this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2026
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me_irl
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Why does the OS allow that in the first place? Even grapheneos allows apps to do that and it's so stupid. Especially when the app has a website version where I can do whatever I want.
One of the reasons why if I ever get a phone supporting gos, I will root it.
What business does an os have to support taking screenshots, and support disabling notifications, but then make it completely impossible to take screenshots of some things or disable some notifications out of judgement that is sometimes just wrong.
Android does a halfway decent job of keeping things secure. System apps can't access another app's private files or databases.
And also, it should be a permission you can toggle. Just like "overlaying over other apps" or whatever it is in english.
It's an OS level feature to not allow the other OS level feature, believe it or not.
there should just be an extra layer of authetication if the feature can be used by malicious apps. for example, the screenshot could be encrypted and you need to unlock it with pin/fingerprint whenever an app wants to access it. that way, the screenshot can be made at an instant and the infostealer still can't get it.
one app we use for fire dispatch involves phi. it makes sense to not allow screenshots if they’re not gonna notify and fire those who screenshot.
PII or PHI?
a little of both, yeah.
If you feel that way, you should (and I am not being facetious) throw away your phone, get a land line, a linux tablet, and hell, maybe a raspi running Asterix on your land line so you can talk on it from your tablet. Your philosophy is valid but the proprietary landscape of the phone-iverse is intentionally designed to make it unpracticable. You cannot use any SIM-based tech, let alone iOS or Android.
Double points if you're using something like waydroid or otherwise running android in a VM. Then you can screenshot from the host OS.
Is it still possible to spoof SafetyNet on Waydroid?
On waydroid you need to do some hacky stuff. You need to root the VM, use ReZygisk to manage the root modules, flash the Play Integrity Fix Magisk module to spoof device properties, install TrickyStore, a module designed to spoof cryptographic hardware key attestation, Use Play Integrity Fork to force the VM to pass basic integrity checks. There's gennymotion which allows some apps to work.
Unfortunately this is what you need to do on any rooted Android rn :(
Click farms have racks of boards they're running. I've always thought about that approach. I'm sure there's a more elegant approach. At the end of the day it is just modulated voltages. I'm more of an iot type and I've definitely spoofed signals before. It's a bit like flipping bits or changing hex codes to get some desired outcome. The hardest part is locating where it is and then knowing what to change it to and also avoiding bricking the device which in the case of a VM isn't too big of a problem.
So basically just like with DVD players.
A bit more complex. With ripping DVDs there's a big prime number that's used to encrypt. Here is a Good video on the situation. Similarly though it is all modulated voltages at the end of the day. The number or really any number is just some particular pattern of voltages or magnetic poles or really anything you can modulate. The first computers were completely mechanical. Well technically speaking the first computers were people with pencils and paper.
But they also run a vm, for DRM. Which didn't help much btw.
That's illegal
If there is a law that is not enforced is there a law?
I was joking
can't screenshot my bank's app, but can't stop me on a browser
Wait until they develop and implement web-page based DRM for their website.
Also: apps that control your screen brightness.
Fuck off! If I wanted my screen brighter I'd do it, thank you very much.
Interesting. I've not come across something like this. Which types of apps do this for you? I'm guessing maybe something about banking or something????
Those that present a barcode or QR code for scanning.
It makes sense to bump up the brightness just on that screen that's showing the code for scanning, but doing it for the whole app is just plain stupid.
Ohhh ok yes I have had that then lol. Screen goes to max brightness. I actually kind of appreciate that feature because I keep my brightness pretty low and sometimes things don't scan well like that.
I understand why app developers do it, and their motivations are often well-intended - like with making QR scanning more reliable as you mentioned.
It still makes me annoyed, because as far as I'm concerned things at the system level should be under my control, not handed to apps.
My complaint is ideological.
If anything I'm annoyed at Android (=Google) about it, because they could at least put it behind a permission and let the user decide whether to give apps the power, but no - apps can do it whether you consent or not.
Disneyland app does this for some reason
Have this only happen with HDR videos.
Ha, yes, I found it irritating very recently when trying to share my blood counts from the lab draw. My Medical app doesn't do screenshots.
Wow that’s some next level fake security bullshit. Right up there with “you aren’t allowed to copy and paste your long-ass bank number fOr sEcUrItY. Fuck you if you’re dyslexic.”
Very silly.
btw you can also root your phone and change this policy.
...then the app stops working because it detects root, then you find another app to hide the fact that it's rooted, and before you know it you're layers-deep schemeing how to use your own phone the way you wish and dreading common upgrades and new phone purchases.
Grindr has it so you can’t screenshot photos anymore. I can understand why, but I wish there was a way that you could turn it off. Sometimes I ask friends to take pictures of me and send them to me, I should be able to keep them!
Why are they sending through Grindr tho
It’s my favorite place to make friends ( ° ͜ʖ °)
praise!! the analog hole!!