I know and that's what I think is better, at least for now. I know how to remove something a govt puts in phone but I can't use a lot of apps without Google Play services, which is a bigger issue for me. You turn on a VPN an govt is out but Google, gosh, it's everywhere.
I'm not sure if "you turn on a VPN and govt is out" is an accurate representation though, considering not all VPNs also resolve DNS requests, and a number of ISPs resort to deep-packet inspection and a number of tactics that would let them collect information on users. It's a matter of agreement, compliance, or force for the government to get their hands on that data.
But I definitely agree on the point about Google Play Services. For a platform that is often touted as being open, Android isn't quite Android without Play Services, and that wouldn't be the case if Google wasn't systematically ensuring that specific outcome.
