This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while. I’ve decided to get a Pixel with GrapheneOS as my next phone and I’m trying to decide the pros and cons of putting a SIM card in it. Convenience vs privacy, public wifi with a VPN vs using phone data, etc.
I can’t get a SIM card where I live without ID and I’m looking to reduce being tracked as much as possible. Does anyone else do the same thing?
I also have a data only eSIM (silent.link) but leave my phone on Airplane and use WiFi most of the time. In addition to privacy, it’s also way cheaper!
Most carriers know your name, your internet usage metadata, and your location all the time using cell tower triangulation. There have been multiple reports of phone providers selling location data and sercurity breaches. If you have a phone that provides MAC address randomization and you use a VPN then I think using public WiFi is more private than having your mobile data turned on all the time.