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.
There are one or two accounts on Lemmy who seem to show up in every privacy or graphene thread and shit-talk GOS.
I say if there is something wrong with GOS or the code itself, identify it and prove it. The founder may have been "problematic" or whatever, but it doesn't sound like that person is even associated with the project anymore.
I have personally daily-driven GOS for a year. It has worked well for me. I use a lot of FOSS apps. I use some traditional Play Store apps and avoid logging into Google and I manage permissions closely. I'd say GOS gives you options. Maybe some people would like other customized degoogled OS better, and that is fine. Just... for the love of all that is sacred, don't use vanilla Googled Android.
I find the criticisms of the founder pretty seriously overblown. My interactions with him have always been positive. He's on the spectrum and a lot of people engaged in pretty serious abuse toward him and the project he created... so I'll give him some slack.
I've used GrapheneOS for 5 years. It's good, the project has integrity, and there really isn't anything that meaningfully compares in meeting its goals. It's proactive in that they actually do meaningful security research and implement solutions. People who troll on the project are either straight up bad actors or just stupid.