Privacy

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A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

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How private is a fairphone? (slrpnk.net)

submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

39 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I'm thinking of getting a fairphone in the future. I like that they are modular and last a while. Are they easily customizable to where I can flash a different ROM? Is the default configuration private?

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

what's your use case that you need that kind of a phone?

I repair my phones when they break and the easy repair of a Fairphone is in no way comparable to the absolute pain it is to remove the display on a phone released in the last 5 years.

Especially considering they provide a 5 year warranty, source fair materials, 8 years of security updates and many more years to come with full access to replacement parts.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

I bought my Fairphone for similar reasons to you.

I had a second hand mid-range Samsung for about 6 months and then the USB port got destroyed. I was unable to replace the USB port so the phone is useless.

I bought a Fairphone 5 thinking that, if anything similar happened, I would NOT need to replace the phone and would save money in the long term.

Kids not dying in cobalt mines is also a bonus: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/02/01/1152893248/red-cobalt-congo-drc-mining-siddharth-kara

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I too repair my phones when they break and I haven't had any issues replacing batteries, one camera assembly (was supposed to be an upgrade - wasn't) and twice the screen with assembly on budget phones. in fact, before I buy them (always used) I check youtube for replacement videos for battery and screen. all replacements done with chinese parts, ultra-cheap and locally available.

I don't know about the fair sourced part, I guess I'm too jaded to consider that an issue so I'll concede that's important to some people. I figure I'm doing everyone a service by repurposing a discarded 5 year old phone.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago

I check youtube for replacement videos for battery and screen

You already lost me there. My times of looking up video guides on how to repair my phone are over, I can replace the battery with my hands and the screen is mounted with 8 screws. OEM parts can be ordered directly from Fairphone and arrive within 2 days.

all replacements done with chinese parts, ultra-cheap and locally available.

It is incredibly difficult to get OEM parts for many phones, you never know if it is a good part until you actually have it in your hand. In some cases it doesn't matter but I have never seen a cheap third party screen which comes close to the original.

I figure I’m doing everyone a service by repurposing a discarded 5 year old phone.

You are, the best phone for the environment is an old phone.