I see a lot of recommendations for various services and products which are respect privacy, but I don’t think I have seen any discussion around cell phone carriers (service providers). I am aware of some of the advantages of using VOIP as a phone service. However, if VOIP is not desired, what are good options for an US phone carrier which provides a physical SIM or eSIM?
I am guessing I have not seen this discussed because phone calls and SMS texts come with inherent insecurities and can always be associated to your phone number. However, I would assume some carriers sell users data more heavily than others. If anyone knows some recommendations, or can explain what to look for, many thanks.
There is no such thing as a private carrier anywhere in the world I think. Cellular networks are tracking networks.
Closer to, cellular networks were never designed for privacy but ensuring you have a signal in the first place.
It’s a horrible coincidence that a system that can beam data to your location also knows your precise location. Almost like laws should have been passed for privacy decades ago, but the lawmakers at the time were still complaining about nobody using telegraphs anymore.
CREDO is a US carrier which donates lots of money to progressive causes, advocates for user rights, and is run by a non-profit. You may not love all their politics, but I think this is about as close to a privacy-preserving carrier as there is. Keep in mind all carriers use the same infrastructure, so the only additional benefit you can receive from a “privacy-aware carrrier” is that they personally won’t sell your information more than it’s already sold.
I don’t have anything particularly useful to your point, but in the US text messages (edit for clarity: SMS messages) are considered public record and nothing is needed to snoop around in them. Call records and recordings at least require a warrant.
That’s interesting, wow.
I don’t want to imagine the reactions from people who think they’re having a “private” green bubble conversation, only to realise it’s a public record 😳
The term “public record” usually refers to records that a government is required to maintain and make accessible to the public. In most states, I believe SMS messages sent by government employees while conducting official business are considered in-scope (though there may be other laws that make certain messages private).
As far as whether your SMS messages can be accessed by law enforcement without a warrant, it gets more complicated.
Older than 180 days? Fair game. A court or government agency can subpoena your provider without any requirement to notify you, per the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986.
Newer than 180 days? A warrant is required, but there are exceptions. For example, administrative subpoenas are allowed in cases of national security.
Records of incoming/outgoing calls require only a subpoena, same with cell tower geolocation data and IP addresses. However, wiretapping of actual calls requires a warrant.
The reality of how and when the government accesses your data in the real world is probably different than the laws as written, so of course take everything with a grain of salt. The best solution with text messages is at least E2E encryption so that the provider cannot store them. (Accessing messages stored on your device itself does require a warrant).
Just do everything on Signal or something maybe?
Privacy on cell phones is kind of impossible unrealistic.
Ideally you’d use signal, an always on VPN, and a privacy centric OS.
That’s about the best you can reasonably do. Also buy your phone directly from the manufacturer.
Assume everything is tapped by the NSA, because it probably is.
