It is so difficult to find modern electronics without telemetry and ads. Smartphones, laptops, TVs, home routers, security cameras, cars, game consoles, e-readers, projectors, 3D printers, fitness trackers, speakers, and even some printers. Why can’t customers be free from this data collection and advertising? It’s not that we don’t care about it. There simply aren’t many alternatives, and the few that do exist are either more expensive or offer fewer features. Seriously, we need a list of products we can buy and use directly without worrying about telemetry or advertising.
The following list is updated at https://lemmy.ml/post/52706206. Please note that this list may contain errors.
- PC: Anything Linux
- Laptop: Framework Laptop, System76, MNT, Purism Laptops, Starlabs Laptops, TUXEDO Computers, NovaCustom, Slimbook, Pinebook by PINE64
- Smartphone: Jolla Phone, Purism, NovaCustom Smartphones, Fairphone with /e/OS, PinePhone by PINE64
- Brax Phone and its Criticism
- Google Pixel + GrapheneOS might be a better option
- Fairphone OS collects information such as the IMEI, serial number, OS version, device model/brand, operator information, and network/cell information…
- Tablets: StarLite by Starlabs, PineTab by PINE64
- Smartwatch: Pinetime, Bangle.js, ZSWatch, Pebble
- GadgerBridge is a free and open source Android application that allows you to pair and manage various gadgets such as smart watches, bands, headphones, and more without the need for the vendor application.
- HealthyPi Move is not available yet
- Wireless headphones: Fairbuds, PineBuds by PINE64
- Alternatives: IEMs (wired in-ear monitors) + wireless dongle
- Kiwi Ears Cadenza, Truthear Gate/Hexa/Pure, Moondrop Chu 2, Fiio BTR11, Snowsky Retro Nano…
- Alternatives: IEMs (wired in-ear monitors) + wireless dongle
- Wireless Speakers: ?
- E-ink devices: PineNote by PINE64
- Open Book Touch is not available yet
- https://www.crowdsupply.com/e-paper
- Alternatives: CrossPoint Reader Devices require a manual CrossPoint install after purchase.
- TVs: All modern TVs upload your screen, sound out the speaker, information about other device in the same WiFi, conversation collected with built-in microphones and video recordings with built-in camera 24/7.
- Projectors: Same as TV
- Game Console: Anything Linux
- MiSTer FPGA is an open-source FPGA-based retro gaming platform, not a single commercial console. There’s no official finished console to buy.
- VR:
- Steam Frame has telemetry but there is no better option
- Routers: OPNsense
- Alternatives: GL.iNET collects minimal telemetry, and you can install OpenWrt on it.
- MikroTik routers does seem to collect telemetry
- SmartHome: PineVoice and PineCam by PINE64
- Alternatives: Home Assistant + Zigbee / Z-Wave Devices Without WiFi
- Security cameras: ?
- Reolink cameras collects telemetry but can be used locally.
- Printers: All modern printers put invisible tracking codes in printed pages, which can identify the exact printer and date and time of printing.
- Openprinter is not available yet.
- 3D printers: Prusa 3D Printer, Sovol
- Cars: All modern car uploads location, speed, information on every device you have connected to your car, your contacts, in-car conversations with built-in microphones and video recordings with built-in camera 24/7
- It’s Official: Cars Are the Worst Product Category We Have Ever Reviewed for Privacy by Mozilla
- Slate is not available yet
- Anything else that doesn’t come with ads or telemetry built in?
Other suggestions:
Once I get more politically active it will be an absolute nightmare to scrub my house.
Tasks to do.
-check my RCA tv, disable all RF connectivity.
-audit Nvidia Shield and decide if the frequency of telemetry is palatable, likely replace with a Pi5 streamer box. Not sure if that has eARC so maybe adjust my whole stereo setup.
-move Phillips hue bulbs off the first party hub to a ZigBee hub.
-remove Google home devices, set up echo dots or whatever they are named and finish setting up the home assistant stack for voice assistant, find cheap tablet for HA dashboard.
-audit Honeywell home, set temp via home assistant integration only.
-same with Emporia power devices, local integration only.
-degoogle phone.
-replace ubiquity WiFi AP with something else probably
-replace Synology NAS maybe.
-shut down Milestone VMS and windows server in favor of an open source VMS, audit POE CCTV cameras for telemetry.
-audit BAS-IP video doorbell. That should work SIP only, I could probably snag access to their internal code base through work connections, the founder is a really nice lady and the rest of her team is cool too.
-Remove Windows from gaming PC, Linux steam or wine compatible games only.
I’m sure there’s more. I probably shouldn’t list all the stuff I use like this but whatever, if I’m tipped over right now there’s not going to be any compromat/ opsec implications.