How To Stay Anonymous: Smartphone Edition
Have you stopped to think of how much personal and valuable information do you store on your smartphone? Your photos, messages and all kinds of files may be exposed if you are not doing anything to protect them.
Let me tell you a quick story. Last summer, I was going home on a crowded bus when suddenly I felt the urge to check my messages. I reach for my pocket to grab my phone and you guessed it. My phone wasn’t there. I panic and check every other pocket until I finally accept the inevitable. Someone stole it from me. And you know what was the worst part? It didn’t even have a lock or password. Basically, my whole life was at the hands of a stranger in a matter of seconds.
I felt vulnerable and stupid from letting that happen, but I learned my lesson so don’t make the same mistake. Having a password is not enough and thieves appear as much on the internet as in real life.
Here are three simple tips that you can start doing right now to avoid the same fate and take control of your mobile privacy.
Tip #1: Install a Wiping Software
Information is the most valuable thing that we have on our phones, so what do we do in case they get robbed? If a thief figures out your password, you’re screwed right? Not really. There is a pretty severe solution for these extreme cases that will allow you to stay anonymous and it’s called wiping software.
What it does is basically work as a self-destruct button but inside your phone. There are many anti-theft systems out there that can erase your data permanently in case of an emergency. You can even set up a maximum number of tries at a password before wiping it all for good.
Just make sure to remember your code!
I advise you to try Cerberus. This app can locate and track your device, lock it, start an alarm on your phone, upload call logs and even wipe its entire memory. In addition, you can also get back at the thief himself. Cerberus allows you to secretly take photos and record videos of anyone who has your device without your permission and upload them to the cloud. That way you can identify who stole your phone and get the law involved.
If they think they can take away our privacy, they should think again.
That’s one of the many options at your disposal and it should only be used in these worst-case scenarios. However, your phone’s privacy could be threatened in a lot of other subtle ways even when you think it’s safe.
Tip #2: Secure Your App Permissions
How many apps do you have on your smartphone? Okay, now how many of those have you only tried once and then completely forgot they existed. Raise your hands. Yeah, I’m guilty of that too.
At some point, most of those apps have probably asked you to allow access to your contacts, your microphone or your location. Do you share all of that information lightly? When you really think about it, your safety is not guaranteed.
We tend to want things the fast and easy way, that’s the same reason why we never read the terms and conditions of anything we download. But, maybe we should be aware of what we are agreeing to share with our apps. I don’t feel comfortable being watched by every company in the world so let’s make sure our apps only have access to the resources that they actually require to function.
Not only that, but you should also think twice before allowing any permissions and take the time to think of which apps do you really trust and need on your phone. Otherwise, staying anonymous will be completely impossible and there will be eyes on you 24/7.
Tip #3: Encrypt your Files and Messages
Your biggest ally to stay anonymous on your smartphone is encryption. If you have sensitive data stored in files and folders, my advice would be to protect them using services like SSE Universal Encryption. This app gives you several security tools in the same place. For example, you have an encryptor for files and texts, a password vault and password generator, as well as a feature to hide secret messages within ordinary texts.
On the other hand, you should also consider encrypting your messages, including voice calls and video conferences. You never know who might be taking a peek at them. If you are about to share sensitive data with one of your contacts via text or image, your best bet would be to do it outside of WhatsApp.
A more secure alternative would be a platform like Wire. They encrypt all of your information and it does not require you to enter your phone number to sign up. Or if you are into blockchain technology, a fitting option would be Status Messenger. They are a completely private messenger app that’s built on Ethereum and will protect your identity.
Be Safe Anywhere You Go!
In summary, if you want to stay protected you need to do something about it. Your smartphone is an important part of your life and as such, it deserves proper attention. By making these simple changes you are assuring yourself a more private experience so go ahead and claim your anonymity.
On that note, here’s a quick preview of what we are working on at Online.io. Our mobile application will include a VPN, Wallet, and Protection against malware, trackers, and ads.
Stay tuned for more tips and updates in the near future!
