PSA: Nova Launcher added Facebook and Google Ads tracking (lemmings.world)

submitted 7 months ago by cm0002@lemmings.world to c/privacy@programming.dev

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The latest update for the popular Nova Launcher app includes Facebook Ads and Google AdMob.

Compare 8.2.4: https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/698198/

With 8.1.6: https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/673643/

From 2 trackers to 6 trackers. From 30 permissions to 36. And two of the "trackers" are for ad stuff, like Facebook Ads.

I believe the owner also changed. It's no longer Branch, but something called Instabridge Sweden.

By @K0Z@lemdro.id

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[-] SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world 7 points 7 months ago

Sigh. TY. Gonna have to make sure my "Rethink" VPN is always up, and blocking Nova's net access since I don't think I use any features from it that require such.

[-] cerebralhawks@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 7 months ago

Free version or Prime as well? Had Prime like 15 years.

[-] KickMeElmo@sopuli.xyz 7 points 7 months ago

Same app, but when I went to cut off network access to it just a few minutes ago it had zero network utilization, so presumably prime skips that.

[-] SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world 3 points 7 months ago

Well, that's good to know. Bought the app like a decade ago, sucks to see it atrophy.

[-] cerebralhawks@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 7 months ago

That's what they said in the announcement when they acquired Nova (someone else posted their announcement). Well, they didn't mention tracking, they just mentioned ads.

this post was submitted on 21 Jan 2026

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