Android Fediverse client that does not send user agent to servers
from hardful9856@programming.dev to privacy@lemmy.ml on 20 May 23:12
https://programming.dev/post/50717731

cross-posted from: programming.dev/post/50677034

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for recommendations for an Android Fediverse client that does not send user-agent information (device or client details) to servers. Ideally, it should support both Mastodon and Lemmy, or other Fediverse platforms as well.

#privacy

threaded - newest

hexagonwin@lemmy.today on 20 May 23:33 next collapse

why not just use your web browser?

hardful9856@programming.dev on 21 May 00:02 next collapse

Yes that would be an alternative. But I’m looking for a more user friendly client that could achieve the goal.

lagoon8622@sh.itjust.works on 21 May 02:20 collapse

Did they not ask for something that wouldn’t send UA info?

hexagonwin@lemmy.today on 21 May 02:59 collapse

you can’t do http communication with an empty UA string iirc. i assumed they were asking for something generic/non-unique that lets them blend into other users

lagoon8622@sh.itjust.works on 21 May 03:24 next collapse

Fair enough. I’m embarrassed that I don’t know a protocol as ubiquitous and important as http. Thanks for letting me know. I’m mainly just mad that big corporate web browsers are literally adtech

hardful9856@programming.dev on 23 May 00:06 collapse

I just checked, they do send user agent to lemmy server.

For example

    final appVersion = getCurrentVersion(removeInternalBuildNumber: true, trimV: true);
    return {
      'User-Agent': 'Thunder/$appVersion',
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      'Accept': 'application/json',
      if (account.jwt != null) 'Authorization': 'Bearer ${account.jwt}',
guymontag@lemmy.ml on 21 May 01:15 next collapse

Im not sure how difficult this would be, but couldn’t you modify an existing client or make your own? Especially with ai(if you so choose to use) it shouldn’t be too difficult(probably).

ParlimentOfDoom@piefed.zip on 21 May 10:32 next collapse

it shouldn’t be too difficult(probably).

Lol

hardful9856@programming.dev on 23 May 00:09 collapse

Thanks for the suggestion but though it might not be difficult, it is still inconvinient

voxel@feddit.uk on 21 May 08:33 next collapse

Your best option is to use a browser with fingerprinting protections like Brave. Not sending a user agent at all is realistically speaking not feasible.

hardful9856@programming.dev on 23 May 00:08 collapse

Yes that would be an alternative. But I’m looking for a more user friendly client that could achieve the goal.

Not sending a user agent at all is realistically speaking not feasible.

Actually it should be feasible

voxel@feddit.uk on 21 May 08:34 collapse

Also: dontasktoask.com

hardful9856@programming.dev on 23 May 00:07 collapse

I’m sorry if my question is inappropriate