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Agreed but on the android thing, if you know how to root the phone and install custom OS made by folks who seek to not be tracked, that's an option also.

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I have a de-googled phone, and also a Pinephone, which is unfortunately not yet suitable for daily use. However, Rob Braxman's latest YT reveals the latest disturbing surveillance twist in the Google/Gmail story - he's the best privacy guy by far, and this is his livestream from the 20th detailing the problem as he is in the process of working out some kind of solution:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu4c9BbCEt4

He normally uploads to Odysee as well (which I recommend) but this one has not appeared there yet.

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Braxman is awesome. It's getting more and more difficult to find unlocked phones to root at a reasonable price and feature set, and a matching Lineage OS to install. I've been tempted to just buy one from Braxman.

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Yea Braxman sure has many seasoned acute knowledge on such things. For me though i do not think it is getting more difficult to find unlocked phones if you make your search so narrow. But wait a second, Braxman sells phones with his rooted protection OS?

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Warning: it's techy (and tetchy - he's not a happy bunny at what he's found..).

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Thanks! This is so cool. I have never heard of Braxman before. I will be a regular listener.

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"I have a de-googled phone,"

:)

"... and also a Pinephone, which is unfortunately not yet suitable for daily use."

I think i remember that one, in your quick view, what you mean not suitable for daily use?

By the way, you ever heard of that website selling those 1000 dollar black phones totally encrypted? I ask because where you stated "not yet suitable for daily use" reminded me of it.

"..However, Rob Braxman's latest YT reveals the latest disturbing surveillance twist in the Google/Gmail story - he's the best privacy guy by far, and this is his livestream from the 20th detailing the problem as he is in the process of working out some kind of solution:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu4c9BbCEt4"

Yes i've known about that guy for some time, no doubt that man is quite well-read, well-experienced in what he knows, quite a resource and man he is at like master level it seems with what he knows. Thanks for the update and link i will check it out.

"...He normally uploads to Odysee as well (which I recommend) but this one has not appeared there yet."

Yea i'm on Odysee... thanks again and i will look for his account.

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Just recently there was that story about how the FBI seized an anonymous, encrypted phone provider, and continued selling the phones - "FBI sold phones to organized crime and read 27 million тАЬencryptedтАЭ messages" https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/06/fbi-sold-phones-to-organized-crime-and-read-27-million-encrypted-messages/

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Thanks - the Pinephone just isn't reliable enough yet. I've tried several mobile Linux versions on it, and they're either too resource-heavy for it and the battery runs down after a couple of hours (!) or it exhibits odd behaviour which is not recoverable without an unfathomable and unpredictable sequence likely involving power-off, battery out and the like.

There's a new, more powerful version either out now or coming real soon. Maybe that will work well, but it took them 3-4 months to deliver mine to the UK, and I won't be hanging round for a new one.

Meanwhile I ordered a simple, very cheap phone (Nokia 105) which has no visible apps from Google or Microsoft, does 4G and will no doubt be a pain to use. However, I'm moving to a more compartmentalised, systems, approach to things, and it will do what I need without compromising my privacy too much if that's necessary in the future. We'll see.

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PS I've heard of those black phones and other similar ones. Having had a super-secure Blackberry running on/within Android, I realised that their idea of security (and privacy) is not what you think it is. Like the Apple model, it's designed to stop threat-vectors from physical theft or loss, to 3rd-party interference within the phone ecosystem. It is not capable of dealing with either a compromised basic software system at the OS level, and is not intended to. It can't deal with ISP or telcoms provider data-harvesting, for instance. It can only deal with the visible manifestations of that at, say, the browser level. Maybe the black phones etc are better, but if they work on a basis of firmware (or even modem capabilities) provided by one of the regular suppliers, there are limits to the hardening that can be applied - as Rob Braxman seems to be finding out.

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You looked into graphene os at all?

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Not yet.. but heard rather read from others it seems to be better than some others in reducing your footprint in being tracked etc. Since you asked about Graphene OS, i'm thinking you will know also they at times come with encrypted text and phone call apps, like Signal etc.

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IтАЩll check out Signal, thnx!

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Requires you provide them all your contacts so they can тАЬenhanceтАЭ your ease in them finding everyone you (and now they) know who also has a signal account. Tread lightly. Best

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I knew i should have edited my response, when i stated;

"...they at times come with encrypted text and phone call apps, like Signal etc.."

...what i meant was "...they at times come with encrypted text and phone call apps, akin to Signal etc."...

So my apologies for not being clearer because what you pointed out Greg, i know it's presented as that about Signal by some, but there's apparently evidence they are not actually being nefarious with what you pointed out, rather it's to maximise end to end encryption like PGP and like Proton ensuring end to end encryption when you are emailing another Proton user. Just something to consider, since there are those who want to discourage using encrypted services so people don't end up using encryption services for being made to think there is no point.

And Faybomb, i would suggest you consider what i told Greg also because at times this information can be mischaracterised due to speculative perspectives over reading the fine print.

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Ohhh. Yikes. Thanks for the heads up

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See my reply to Greg Garcia fellow truth seeker.

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No problem, but see my other reply to you.

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IтАЩve been using Signal for almost a year. It works very well. I canтАЩt quantify that itтАЩs prevented my privacy from being violated but itтАЩs easy to use and I trust the people who attest to how secure it is. A great feature is the sender can determine that their msg is erased on both ends any where from 10 seconds to keep forever.

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This is great, thanks!

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No problem but do your due diligence to increasingly be wise about your communications.

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Kirsch has vials. I hope he will be looking into that.

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