this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2025
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Privacy

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Whenever people ask about ways to make their smartphones more private or which is the most privacy-respecting phone to get, there's always a few people confidently asserting "all smartphones are spy tools, get a dumbphone with no apps if you want to be private". Which is ridiculous advice for a few reasons

  • Dumbphones usually run either proprietary operating systems or outdated forks of Android. They're almost never encrypted. They rarely get security updates. They're a lot more vulnerable than even a regular Android phone

  • With dumbphones, you're usually limited to regular phone calls or SMS/MMS messaging. These are ancient communication standards with zero built-in privacy. Your ISP can read any text message you send and view metadata logs of any phone calls you make. In lots of places (like Australia where I live) ISPs are actually required to keep logs of your messages and phone calls

With even a regular Android phone you at least have access to encrypted messaging apps like Signal or Session so your conversations aren't fair game for anyone who wants to read them. Of course there are better options. iOS (not perfect but better than most bloatware-filled Android devices) and a pixel with GrapheneOS (probably the best imo) are much better options; but virtually anything out there is going to be better for privacy than a dumbphone

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[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 16 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I can't speak for everyone, but if I'm using a dumb phone, I'm not going to be doing any of the things that I'm worried about them hearing.

If ICE grabs my phone right now and beats me until I lock it. They're going to be looking through my lemmy history.

I'm not going to hold a long political dissertation over SMS or during a phone call.

What I really want to at this point is a pager, a cellular Wi-Fi access point, and an 8" tablet that can run Linux and sip power so I can just pretend I don't have a device.

[–] Crozekiel@lemmy.zip 3 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (3 children)

What I really want to at this point is a pager, a cellular Wi-Fi access point, and an 8" tablet that can run Linux and sip power so I can just pretend I don’t have a device.

This is basically what I was thinking. Where can I find a fully functioning 8" Linux Tablet? I feel like the rest of it is easy peasy.

Edit: In my head, I am imagining a steam deck but with the side controller bits snapped off. Someone pls make this. lol

[–] thespcicifcocean@lemmy.world 2 points 11 hours ago

Pine64 has something I think. I don't know if it's any good though.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 3 points 13 hours ago

Okay, it's no steam deck, but the GPD-4 6xxx model looks like it supports Linux reasonably well.

https://gpdstore.net/blog/gpd-pocket-4-review/

https://github.com/aarron-lee/gpd-win-tricks?tab=readme-ov-file#disable-fp-sensor-6800u-untested-on-newer-win-4-models

It's an 8.8 inch 180 degree touchscreen and it has a keyboard built in.

It's a pricey sausage, but not more expensive than my flagship phone.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 1 points 16 hours ago

I keep hoping the Halium project will pick up support for some small tablet, but those are almost all bootloader-locked. I don't love Halium, but anything is better than what we have, I could deal with some UBPorts.

I even looked at DIY. There's no lack of 7" touchscreens, but Pi's are apparently bad on power. There are a couple of mini clone boards that might work, but they all have tradeoffs and red flags.

[–] Corridor8031@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

GrapheneOs Duress Pin is what you are looking for in your described scenario i think

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

GrapheneOS provides users with the ability to set a duress PIN/password that will irreversibly wipe the device along with any installed eSIMs.

That's a good way to get locked up for 6 months while they 'investigate' you

What are you trying to hide RUMBA??? Ihre Papiere bitte

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

there are cases out there of people being detained for years for not providing the unlock pin/passwords to encrypted data.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

yup, I want no parts of that.

Here's my license, here's my phone. here's my travel laptop.

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 5 points 15 hours ago

I just stopped traveling altogether