You can install Google Play Services as a sandboxed app on GrapheneOS. That's not the issue. I believe the issue is that Google will use hardware attestation to check if the OS you're running it on is Google-approved.
this post was submitted on 10 May 2026
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Privacy
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The Recaptcha QR code verification does work on GrapheneOS for now and there is a standard select the swuares fallback. Recaptcha is also entirely optional for a website and they can easily pick any competitor like hCaptcha if they want.
For a decade or two now, it's been pretty much assumed that everyone has an internet-connected, camera-equipped, browser-capable device in their pocket. Restaurants, banks, hospitals, employers and even government offices use QR codes and websites to get you to their menus, forms or services.
If ID is being tied to my mobile spy device, then I need my mobile spy device to be a right and not a luxury. $40-50 for a few years of validity, internet access provided at no cost, even if slow. I can have my luxury phone be where I'm 'anonymous', but I want the government to subsidize the mobile spy device if it's a mandatory expense. Even cheap phones cost a lot of money.
To be clear, I don't want ID tied to my phone, but it's gotten harder to exist without one, so it should be something we have access to with minimal friction.
Add food, water and shelter to that list, but you can't ask for them without a web browser.
Sites need to stop using recaptcha. It's an unnecessary barrier to using a site and I often refuse out of principle.
websites need to stick to hcaptcha or turnslide
eww recaptcha,spyware piece of shit.
Which websites does this actually affect? I use GrapheneOS and I've yet to be affected by this, granted I don't use many mainstream services.
Off subject a bit, what is the cheapest option for a graphene phone?
the oldest pixel that they support.
The most dead cheap supported option would be the Pixel 6, which looks like it sells starting at about $130 on Swappa. The security recommended minimum from Graphene team would be the Pixel 8, which lists starting at $220.
Thanks for the reply, that is doable, the 220, or even a little better.
i haven't seen this qr code thing yet, but recaptcha itself i see on many sites including archive.today
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Most of the time, my phone's browser is disabled. It keeps me from using my phone too much. I understand not everyone is in a position where they can do that though.
Or even want that...
After reading a bunch of books about our relationship with technology, I concluded it's probably best that I greatly reduce my reliance on my phone. A big part of how I accomplish that is just by using my laptop for things that I can't cut out entirely, like banking, email, web browsing, etc.
i never switched to preferring my phone over my laptop, so my laptop has always remained my primary means of interacting with people (ie text messages & phone calls) and social media and it's taught me that it disconnects you in strange ways from the zeitgeist of today world in ways that are so subtle that they're easy to miss and they add up over time.
I uninstalled Tik Tok almost 2 years ago and have heavily restricted my other social media usage since. Programming.dev (and the extended Lemmyverse) is the biggest cheat I permit myself. I do still waste more time scrolling than I want, but through it, I've been exposed to things that I feel make my life richer. And it is a lot less soul-crushing than commercial platforms that are jam packed with AI slop and are designed to be addicting.
That said, with I no longer have a way to keep up with trends and my main source of news is my wife, who is still plugged into TikTok. And honestly, I think I'm better off that way. I have way more time to read (and engage in other long-form content) and spend with my kids. I'm exposed to way less propaganda and outrage content. Looking back on days with 9+ hours spent on TikTok, it feels like I was part of a hive mind. I like being an individual again.
I doubt OP cares, but I use GrapheneOS with Google Play services. It's still better than regular Android. Don't give up because you can't get 100%
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I wont visit a website if they require my identity. Other options out there.
Most goonings sites don't use recaptcha
Need to break up these monopolies. Really the root of all bad about capitalism.
The "root of bad" is capitalism itself, the logic of the system tends to create monopolies over time, as demonstrated in the game 'Monopoly'
It's the love of money that's the root of all evil, according to Jesus, but yeah, that's the driving force behind capitalism.
It’s the love of money that’s the root of all evil
Thank you for getting this quote right. Often, it’s shortened to “money is the root of all evil”, which hits different, and removes the element of personal responsibility. The “love of money” bit is important.
Exactly. Money as a tool is fine. You need a way to pay for stuff. It's the love of money, money as a goal in itself, far beyond what you'll ever need to live, that's the problem.
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