![]() ![]() This could be because of reasons like hardware limitations or not prioritizing updates. New features provided with AOSP may be severely delayed with custom OEMs if the device manufacturer isn't diligent about porting them in. Android OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) can pre-install apps that have high-level privileges and may not be as obvious as an icon you can see on your home screen. Worse, in some cases custom ROMS can come with pre-installed malware. For example, in 2019 when Samsung pre-installed the Facebook app on their phones, the only option was to “disable” the app. Even the current Google flagship phone, Pixel, does not come with stock Android.Įven though custom Android distributions or ROMs (Android Read Only Memory) can come with useful features, others can come with “bloatware” or unwanted apps. Most phones or tablets you purchase with Android are AOSP with layers of customization or a “skinned” version of AOSP. The source code is stripped down and doesn't even include Google apps or the Google Play Store. The Android operating system is open sourced by Google and officially known as the "Android Open Source Project" or AOSP. To understand this issue better, it's useful to know what “stock Android” means and how manufacturers approach choosing an OS. ![]() But this is not what it should take to keep your kid safe. ![]() It just so happens that some of the parents at EFF conduct security research. Potential malware or riskware should not be a part of these concerns just because you purchased a budget Android tablet for your child. Ongoing conversations and negotiations about the time spent on devices happen in many households. Parents have plenty of worry and concern about how their kids use technology as it is. This is a major concern since this is a tablet marketed for kids. It turns out malware was present, with an added bonus of pre-installed riskware and a very outdated parental control app. ![]()
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