Mobile OS security

[MoebusNet]

One of the things I despise is that there is no convenient way to remain anonymous with either iOS or Android. To obtain security updates for your device, you must be registered with the OS. One of the things I looked forward to with the now-abandoned Ubuntu mobile OS was the ability to get security updates without having to register in yet another database. There's no way of knowing where that information will wind up.

[TheFu]

Every OS with networking has some methods of knowing when they are on. If not directly, from assorted extra services, like time sync, patch management, and pretty much every browser reports back to the home office about your use. Chrome, Chromium, Firefox, Opera, they all do it. Chrome reports back with over 85 different services. Chromium has over 60. And if you have any plugins or addons in the browser, forgetaboutit.

Even if you just connect to a cell service, you are being tracked and that data is shared with data brokers, who will sell it to anyone for $19.95.

You don't want to know how bad this is, here's a little video from CBS about it from late April 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe37ANivFdY Scary.