Just buy a phone that doesn’t include tracking features
Such as?
I’ve looked, and I can’t find one. The best I found are:
PinePhone/Librem 5 - basic phone features don’t work properly (crap battery life, can’t use all carriers in the US, audio sucks)
FairPhone - not directly available in the US (can get from reseller)
alternative Android ROM GrapheneOS/LineageOS/Calyx/DivestOS
I went with a Google Pixel 8 w/ GrapheneOS. I don’t have any of fancy AI features that Google advertises because they all rely on Google Play services (no thanks), but it works competently as a phone, has 7+ years of promised SW support, and gets a decent repair score (not perfect, but everything important seems serviceable).
I’m coincidentally looking at buying a newer car, and everything has spyware, so I’ll definitely be ripping out whatever phone home devices they have. This means no remote start, probably no navigation (though navigation doesn’t need to phone home), and a bunch of other modern features won’t work. But I don’t get the option to get one w/o it w/o getting an older car, so I guess that’s what I need to do. So I plan to rip apart the car to remove the SIM or antennas, or at least remove their power.
I wish there were actual privacy-respecting options available, but I guess this is the world we live in now…
No one likes the option, but Tesla uniquely will let you opt out of all car <-> Tesla communications. Don’t buy full self driving as I don’t think that works opted out. Definitely don’t subscribe to premium connectivity as opting out disables connectivity.
Is there a guarantee that works? As in, there’s no way to locate my car if stolen? Because that’s what I want.
If there’s a way for Tesla to access my car remotely after opting out, there’s a way for them to change the terms of the sale and require phoning home. I want technical guarantees, not promises backed by a mutable service agreement.
Such as?
I’ve looked, and I can’t find one. The best I found are:
I went with a Google Pixel 8 w/ GrapheneOS. I don’t have any of fancy AI features that Google advertises because they all rely on Google Play services (no thanks), but it works competently as a phone, has 7+ years of promised SW support, and gets a decent repair score (not perfect, but everything important seems serviceable).
I’m coincidentally looking at buying a newer car, and everything has spyware, so I’ll definitely be ripping out whatever phone home devices they have. This means no remote start, probably no navigation (though navigation doesn’t need to phone home), and a bunch of other modern features won’t work. But I don’t get the option to get one w/o it w/o getting an older car, so I guess that’s what I need to do. So I plan to rip apart the car to remove the SIM or antennas, or at least remove their power.
I wish there were actual privacy-respecting options available, but I guess this is the world we live in now…
No one likes the option, but Tesla uniquely will let you opt out of all car <-> Tesla communications. Don’t buy full self driving as I don’t think that works opted out. Definitely don’t subscribe to premium connectivity as opting out disables connectivity.
Is there a guarantee that works? As in, there’s no way to locate my car if stolen? Because that’s what I want.
If there’s a way for Tesla to access my car remotely after opting out, there’s a way for them to change the terms of the sale and require phoning home. I want technical guarantees, not promises backed by a mutable service agreement.
Reporters seemed to believe them. It’s not at all common though so I don’t know if it has been tested to a convincing point.