Google Allows Creditors to Brick Your Phone - eviltoast

I installed NetGuard about a month ago and blocked all internet to apps, unless they’re on a whitelist. No notifications from this particular system app (that can’t be disabled) until recently when it started making internet connection requests to google servers. Does anyone know when this became a thing?

Were the courts not enough control for creditors? Since when are they allowed to lock you out of your purchased property without a court order?

I don’t even live in the US, so what the actual fuck?

  • MisterFrog@lemmy.worldOP
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    74
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    8 months ago

    It must be globally, I’m in Australia. What utter bullshit, since I would have never known if it weren’t for my NetGuard firewall app.

    • noorbeast@lemmy.zip
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      60
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      Being Australian this is likely one to report to the ACCC, as Aussies at least have basic consumer protection, though that get murky with overseas tech entities.

      • MisterFrog@lemmy.worldOP
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        22
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        8 months ago

        Unfortunately the ACCC gives fewer fucks than you may expect. An airline once cancelled a flight on me and kept the cancellation fee, despite producing no evidence that any government had forced them to cancel the flight (this was during COVID).

        ACCC did not care one bit

        So while we do have some consumer protection (better than most) I would be surprised if they cared.

        • MalReynolds@slrpnk.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          16
          ·
          8 months ago

          It’s 5 minutes out of your life to try, as an aussie, please do, for charity if nothing else, who knows, you might benefit…

          • MisterFrog@lemmy.worldOP
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            9
            ·
            8 months ago

            I am a serial complaint lodger, just that I’m much busier than I used to be. I may do it once I figure out what’s going on with it on my phone.

      • MeetInPotatoes@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        8 months ago

        though that get murky with overseas tech entities.

        I mostly agree, but you gotta admit the EU has been sticking it to the tech giants lately.