Here’s what you better know about cheap smartphonesand how you might shop for a safe new unit.
Why Are Cheap Smartphones Bad for Privacy?
American-made brands aren’t always better.
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Blu, a Miami-based smartphone brand,has been caught twicein privacy scandals.
What Data Do Cheap Smartphones Harvest?
Cheap smartphones harvest a variety of data.
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Most data isn’t directly harmful and focuses on data such as IMEI numbers and MAC addresses.
Much of this data is Personally Identifying Information (PII).
Unfortunately, some budget phones have suspicious apps that you might’t remove.
In some cases, you might need to remove the operating system altogether.
you’re free to activate safe mode by holding your power button until the reboot options appear.
Once an option appears, tap on it and allow your phone to restart.
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If they are, your phone might just have failing or underpowered hardware.
you might usually factory reset your rig in configs by navigating toSystem > Reset > Factory reset.
Name-brand Android devices are also unlikely to carry spyware.
However, that doesn’t mean companies like Apple and Samsung aren’t collecting some data.
If you want perfect privacy, you’ll need to install another operating system.
CalyxOS and GrapheneOS are both ideal.
