Does VPN really hide your location? How?

General Privacy & Security
42

So, along w/ a vpn use …

  • duckduckgo instead of google search,
  • brave browser instead of chrome, firefox, and edge
  • de-googled phone w/ open source f-droid apps and/or aurora store to download free google play apps that don’t use google services (waze, spotify, etc.) which hides your identity from google
  • switch sim cards often which gives you a new imei and phone number
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43

Even all that isn’t enough to hide you, especially your last point. See the section on SIM cards: https://ssd.eff.org/en/playlist/privacy-breakdown-mobile-phones

44

Obviously, if cellular service is used, your location can be determined w/in 6’ by the carrier and/or govt, but it depends upon your threat vectors. For most, the threat vector isn’t the govt as much as bad actors and big tech which can be effectively defended against using a vpn + de-googled phone + privacy-focused apps like brave, duckduckgo, etc.

See Rob Braxman Tech playlists for details.

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45

Changing the SIM card does not change the IMEI. Changing the SIM card changes the IMSI.

Or the opening text. Summary: Mobile phones are a privacy and security nightmare. :frowning:

That’s why we need the L5, to start to claw back some privacy and security.

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