13

Using Debian 8 Jessie

I don't like geoclue. I want to remove it

Tried to do:

apt-get remove geoclue*

I got:

The following packages will be REMOVED:
  empathy geoclue-2.0 gnome gnome-clocks gnome-core gnome-maps
  task-gnome-desktop

Is there a way to remove it without uninstalling the whole gnome ? I don't have any window manager besides gnome I don't want to brick my install.

Thanks

GAD3R
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opc0de
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  • well, you certainly won't brick your install when there is no desktop environment. That aside: what does `apt-get geoclue-2.0` give you? For seeing dependecies of a package, use `apt-cache depends gnome` which in my case does not list `geoclue`. Note that the asterisk wildcard in `apt-get` is a bit dangerous see [here](http://askubuntu.com/questions/210976/apt-get-remove-with-wildcard-removed-way-more-than-expected-why) (Take note of the comments) – FelixJN Aug 20 '15 at 19:15

3 Answers3

16

On a debian based system you can safely neuter geoclue by sending results of it's privacy disrespecting behavior right down to a black hole of nothingness.

Do the following:

Elevate your system privileges via 'sudo' command or log-in as root and do the following: 

sudo systemctl disable geoclue.service
sudo systemctl mask geoclue.service

Once done, reboot the host, and when system boots back up, check the output of:

$ sudo systemctl status geoclue.service
● geoclue.service
Loaded: masked (/dev/null; bad)
Active: inactive (dead)

That's it! No more chatty behavior to Mozilla servers to figure out your geo location.

This does not fix a fundamental issue with gnome foundation and a geoclue developers clueless disregard for a users privacy, as well 'twisting' the users arm in to using gnome+geoclue by default and not providing an option to use gnome-desktop with out this geo-tracing component, but at least you would effectively cripple function of geoclue while continue using gnome-desktop without any issues.

muru
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Damien
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3

If you don't mind not using the Gnome environment, you can install a different one (e.g XFCE Desktop), that will still give you access to your system but is completely independent of geoclue. Once you install that and test that it is working to your satisfaction, then delete geoclue (and let gnome be uninstalled as well).

NickD
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nonon
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    `geoclue-2.0` came here installed and running at startup with Xubuntu 20.04 LTS; without ever asking my consent. However, in XFCE it has no dependants and can easily be uninstalled: `$ sudo apt autoremove geoclue-2.0` – Serge Stroobandt Feb 28 '21 at 20:57
2

The gnome package depends on gnome-clocks and gnome-maps, and both of those packages depend on geoclue-2.0. So you can't uninstall geoclue-2.0 without uninstalling gnome; you can only replace geoclue-2.0 with a fake package (look up equivs). I don't know what the resulting behaviour of your desktop would be though...

Stephen Kitt
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  • do we need to comment out `Exec` in `/etc/xdg/autostart/geoclue-demo-agent.desktop`? – noobninja Apr 29 '20 at 02:05
  • If you replace `geoclue-2.0` with a fake package, there won’t be a `/etc/xdg/autostart/geoclue-demo-agent.desktop` at all. In other cases, instead of disabling the `Exec` entry, you should delete the file entirely — it’s in `/etc`, so you can handle it however you want. – Stephen Kitt Apr 29 '20 at 07:52