This is an opinion editorial by Anthony Feliciano, a bitcoin event organizer and consultant.
Now for part two of my series on how our smartphones spy on us. You can find part one here.
In this part I will talk about:
- De-Googling your mobile OS.
- Receive SIM, eSIM and IMEI using your phone
- Bitcoin and Lightning Network apps that can be used on D-Google phones.
- Steps to create your opt-out plan.
CalexOS and GrapheneOS
Graphenos is a sandbox Google Play provides:
“Graphenos has a compatibility layer that provides the option to install and use official releases of Google Play in the standard app sandbox. Google Play absolutely on Graphenos, as opposed to leaving the app sandbox and receiving excessive amounts of volume.” There is no special access or privileged access. Instead, the compatibility layer teaches how to work within the full app sandbox. It is also not used as a backend for OS services because it is somewhere And will be because Graphenos doesn’t use Google Play even when it’s installed.”
CalyxOS offers an alternative to its Aurora Store as well in practice. The premise behind Aurora Store is that Google Play Service is replaced with microg:
,[It] Replaces some functions of Google Play Services while maintaining greater anonymity and privacy. ,
It allows you to download apps you know and already use every day.
I’m a current user of Graphenos and have been for a few years now – this has been my opt-out plan back when I had sufficiently large technology and rigid government access. I’ve tested a number of features and tools of Graphenos that I can and can’t use. In my following article I will share what you can do.
SIM, eSIM and IMEI
Every time you buy a new phone from a provider, you are following the KYC (Know Your Customer) protocol, handing over your information to the cell service provider. In return you get a new smartphone with a SIM card (or an eSIM on some newer phones), and are assigned an IMEI number that allows access to the provider’s cell phone network. That information can be a part of a summons to a provider for all your data, text, web history, etc. as well as records. So what can you do? You still want to communicate with friends, family, have internet access and stay connected to the rest of the world.
You can still walk into Best Buy today and buy an unlocked phone for cash. Buy the cell phone outright, and it won’t be tied to a provider like Verizon, ATT, or T-Mobile. No personal information is provided, and you can take your phone to whatever provider you want access to by purchasing a SIM or eSIM card.
*Bitcoiner Pro Tip: You can buy eSIM and pay via BTC or Lightning.
Bonus Bitcoiner Pro Tip: Before You Buy, Make Sure That When Visiting Any Website, You Are Using One vpn and/or tow To further reduce your online footprint. If you are going to make purchases via BTC, please make sure you use post-coinjoin via btc join the market, For Lightning, make sure the funds you use to open the channel from your Base Layer BTC are from CoinJoin post to make Lightning payments. An example of a website offering eSIM for BTC is Silent. Link,
This is the peak phase of my opt-out plan. The choice is yours when buying a SIM card. When you buy a SIM in cash, the phone IMEI number will be given as part of the activation to ensure that it is not blacklisted (stolen). My opt-out phone has never been activated via SIM, and my phone is an older model so there is no eSIM option. I use a Wi-Fi hotspot to access the Internet with a VPN and Tor. There is an advanced technique called IMEI spoofing – I haven’t tried this method, but the goal is to get IMEIs that are blacklisted from accessing network providers. Changing the SIM won’t help either, as the IMEI is still blacklisted.
*Note – When using Wi-Fi, very little information about the device is recorded, i.e. MAC address, device model, browser used and OS – your SIM and IMEI number is not recorded. However, if your phone pings the cell tower, the information is recorded and the record can be easily retrieved by tracking the IMEI number.
Bitcoin and D-Google Smartphones
Now for those bitcoiners who are finally fed up with all the spying and tracking, let’s add some bitcoin and Lightning Network apps to really make your phone optimal for your opt-out plan.
What follows is a list of Bitcoin and Lightning Network apps by developers and the companies that release them as Android Package Kits (APKs). APKs are of vital importance when using a D-Google phone because the developers behind them allow them to be installed on your phone without the need for the Google Play service and all the tracking behind it. As Samurai found out, having your app in the Google Play Store means you have to comply with their request to remove the security features. Samurai did the next best thing – direct download via APK.
Below are the bitcoin and lightning network apps I use and where to get their APKs, but there are probably more.
- Zeus: On their main page is the apk download. A perfect app to use to connect to your node.
- Breeze: From their Github page: “Breeze is a Lightning Network mobile client and a hub. It provides a platform for simple, instantaneous bitcoin payments.”
- Electrum: Download APK for Android. **Note: Connect Electrum with the .onion address of your node network, do not use automated servers when connecting**
- Tor: Download APK. This is the Tor browser used to connect to the Internet.
- Samurai Wallet: APK Download. Connect to your samurai dojo or use it for whirlpool.
- BlueWallet: BlueWallet is an easy-to-use custodial wallet for both Bitcoin and Lightning.
- SBW: A Simple and Easy Bitcoin and Lightning App
- ProtonVPN: This is the VPN service I use – they have a free client with limited country connection options, but also offer paid tiers. Find a good quality VPN service that offers its app via APK.
- Telegram: You can buy a SIM/eSIM with bitcoin to get a phone number to use as a one-time verification via SMS. (You will probably want to create a new Telegram account, as you will have used your personal number to verify your account)
- Elements: Chat app used by many people. Some people have heard of Matrix, Elementor is an app you can download to your phone.
Anyone using the APK should only use the ones found on the project’s main website or Github page. It is highly recommended to avoid websites that offer an APK for an app you can’t find – I don’t trust them, they are rebuilt by sites and who knows you’ll get the real The app is found or loaded with remote access to any information you log in there. So, if you can’t find the APK of the project easily on their site, then contact them directly and ask.
Steps to create your opt-out plan:
- Choose a D-Google OS.
- Load bitcoin and lightning app at home.
- Add security apps like VPN and Tor browser.
- Leave your home, take your backup phone with you.
- Find out what works/doesn’t work for you.
- Which Apps Can’t You Live Without?
- Ask yourself, “What security gaps did I miss?”
- Gain confidence in being able to use bitcoin privately.
I hope you found this article helpful. To me, it’s just another rung when you climb the ladder up the bitcoin rabbit hole. Using technology does not mean that we have to give up freedom for easy and convenient alternatives. This means we can develop an opt-plan and still use bitcoin. If you liked this, read my other two articles, “Is it Mobile Banking – Bitcoin on the Go” – where I make my Lightning Node mobile and take it on a road trip. Then read, “How To Make Your Lightning Network Node Mobile” – This is a technical guide on how to make a node mobile. If you can combine all three disciplines, you’ll really be on your way to an exit.
I have included three photos to show the end goal.
This is a guest post by Anthony Feliciano. The opinions expressed are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.