Is your smartphone hack-proof: For smartphone users, privacy feels like a luxury. If you’re using an Android or iPhone it’s easy to track you and know what you’re doing online. Especially, if you’re an important person, government agencies are more interested in knowing your whereabouts.
Edward Snowden has mentioned a few points on his Twitter account on how to manage to stay safe online while using a smartphone. If you listen to them, you can switch to the old Nokia feature phone leaving the smartphone.
Using a GraphenOS smartphone
Both iOS and Android are weak, and iOS and Android operating systems that run on every smartphone have numerous programming flaws. This means that common apps like iMessage or web browsers are dangerous and can be easily hacked.
To avoid this, it is best to use a graphene-based smartphone. GrafenOS adopts Android App compatibility, which focuses on open source privacy and security.
Use microphone and Bluetooth as needed
Reduce the use of microphones on smartphones to prevent someone from secretly listening to your conversations through the Hidden App. Also, WiFi and Bluetooth should be turned off when not needed. It is best to use a tar browser that is known for privacy.
Do not use Wi-Fi at home
This step may be a bit too much to protect privacy. But, actually, people should not use Wi-Fi at home. Plug the Ethernet cable into your smartphone to connect to the Internet. Snowden tweeted about this: “I don’t use WiFi at home because every wireless access point is an Unic IDs on a global map. I use Ethernet at home. I refuse network permissions for any apps that don’t require using the firewall app.
Use AdBlocker, Password Manager
Everyone needs to use AdBlocker and Password Manager to maintain privacy. Third-party cookies must be blocked in the browser. Each of these three steps needs to be considered. Because these are simple, cost-effective, they protect you while speeding up your phone.
Browse the Internet on your laptop
Not browsing the Internet on a smartphone is an important step in increasing privacy and avoiding surveillance. As Snowden explained in his tweet, I disable JavaScript, tracking, and fingerprinting in the browser. Snowden recommends using Cubes OS to browse the Internet on a laptop. It has no GPS and WiFi and is built by Vonix.
No email for communication
Snowden says don’t trust the email. I don’t use an email other than registration. Email is basically an insecure protocol, and in 2019, email can be dropped for any meaningful communication purposes. He said I would use a signal or wire as a secure alternative to email.
