For those unfamiliar, GrapheneOS is a privacy and security enhanced custom ROM endorsed by Snowden. Despite these big names, plenty of people give it backlash
Even @TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml gives it backlash despite being a moderator of Lemmy’s biggest privacy community. A quote here: “grapheneOS trolls are downvoting every single post and comment of mine, and committing vote manipulation on Lemmy. They are using 5-6 accounts.” That was in response to downvotes on a comment posted in the c/WorldNews community, which is entirely unrelated to technology.
One of the reasons is that GrapheneOS can only be installed on Google Pixels due to security compatibility, which makes complete sense considering Android should be most compatible with Google’s own devices. GrapheneOS even lists the exact reasons they chose Pixels, and encourage people to step up and manufacture a different supported device.
One year ago, Louis Rossmann posted this video outlining his reasons for deleting GrapheneOS. Mainly, he had multiple bad experiences with Daniel Micay (the founder and main developer of GrapheneOS) which put his distrust in the GrapheneOS project. Since then, he has stepped down and will no longer be actively contributing to the project.
So, I am here to learn why exactly people still do not like GrapheneOS.
I like grapheneos the product.
The staff is super abrasive and they constantly attack other privacy projects. See the recent attacks on Jonah from privacy guides, or the attacks on calyx, or the bs with rossman that forced micay out of the spotlight.
They need to hire an outside professional to manage their PR. The way they communicate is their biggest flaw.
There are no “attacks”. Members of GrapheneOS usually are just responding to people attacking them. You mention the recent “attacks” well Jonah was using their forum to say false things about GrapheneOS and how they’re marketing themselves to criminals. It’s a ridiculous claim. GrapheneOS focuses on improving the OS’s security and privacy and if companies can just hack the phone then GrapheneOS isn’t very secure is it? But recent news has shown that at least Cellebrite cannot get into a GrapheneOS phone. Isn’t that a good thing?
Oh, btw, the only reason GrapheneOS was talking about this stuff in the first place was because another person hostile to the project was posting completely false claims on Reddit that forensics companies could hack GrapheneOS. They conveniently left out the fact that CONSENT based extraction means giving away your PIN/password first.
So, what you’re seeing is project members defending the project from people making false claims. One leads to another. All they do is try to damage GrapheneOS’s reputation because that’s easier than improving their own products.