Without a Trace: How to Keep Your Phone Off the Grid – The Markup
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We answer the questions readers asked in response to our guide to anonymizing your phone

We answer the questions readers asked in response to our guide to anonymizing your phone

About the LevelUp series: At The Markup, we’re committed to doing everything we can to protect our readers from digital harm, write about the processes we develop, and share our work. We’re constantly working on improving digital security, respecting reader privacy, creating ethical and responsible user experiences, and making sure our site and tools are accessible.

This is a follow-up article. Here’s the first piece, if you’d like to read that one as well

  • Pantherina@feddit.de
    16·
    11 months ago

    Forgot to turn off Bluetooth. Apple phones activate it automatically to keep up their tracking network anywhere.

    Just going from your home to anywhere and coming back with a burner phone doesnt make sense. You have to turn it off before going anywhere near your home.

    Connecting your identity based on the co-location of your burner and personal phones would generally require access to data from multiple sources and may not be easily achievable without your consent or cooperation.

    Okay just no.

    Do not use standard SMS or iMessage.

    Good advice. Flight mode too. Also disable 2G and 3G, which poorly still is impossible in Germany.

    Apple’s iMessage uses end-to-end encryption, which means that messages sent between Apple devices are encrypted and can only be decrypted by the sender and the recipient. This provides a high level of security.

    Now advise for that messenger again? Trust me bro.

    WhatsApp, which are available on both platforms, offer end-to-end encryption for text messages and voice/video calls.

    Trust me bro 2.

    Both Android and Apple devices allow users to control app permissions, including access to contacts, location, and other sensitive data. If you really want to enhance your security and privacy, it’s crucial to review and manage what permissions apps have.

    On Stock Android all the spyware is already installed, as system apps. They have no permissions and you are already fucked.

    Advanced tracking methods can link your activity to your IP address

    No that is not advanced, that is the most basic possible.

    Use a VPN to mask your IP address.

    “a VPN”, very good tip thanks

    Overall the article is okay though, lots of good tips. We have to see people dont know shit so they need to start somewhere.

    But why they dont recommend a single app apart from Signal is insane.

    General

    • no stock Android or iOS ever!
    • GrapheneOS
    • Google Pixels (probably not having a backdoor?)
    • preregistered SIM cards
    • good email and VPN provider

    Software

    • Mull, Arkenfox, Brave
    • SimpleX, Briar, Anonymous Messenger
    • Onionshare
    • Torbrowser
    • Orbot
    • or i2p alternatives that work
    • Monero
    • a privacy friendly Keyboard like Florisboard and Openboard
    • no google play services (they are a way for carriers to install malware how they like)
    • …

    Settings

    • anonymized MAC
    • encryption without fingerprint and scrambled layout
    • email aliases for everything
    • Fakeaccounts with your real name and matching fake pictures
    • automatic reboot and updates