So, I have a question on Motorola Mobility. The company is Chinese-owned, but US-based. This means it’s subject to the invasive CLOUD Act, and that US kangaroo courts even can require parent companies to provide that data.
Android also would lock down Android from september 2026, meaning that vendor-independent downloading (sometimes falsely named ‘sideloading’) would be rendered impossible, and all apps must be from verified developers, for which they’d have to give identification, iirc.
So how would a custom OS like e/ or GOS be affected by this? How would the latter ensure it’s not subject to the CLOUD Act? Or not affected at all downstream due to the locking down?
Sure, Motorola would qualify for the hardware specs needed for GOS, but legally considering, aren’t there issues? I’m considering to get a new phone that would be good privacywise, but I don’t like the thought of depending on the USA or China. It almost feels like a fed honeypot that way. Ethics is important to me.
I’ve thought about getting a Jolla phone with Sailfish instead, since that’s practically Linux. Or a Fairphone with e/, but from what I hear there are concerns surrounding privacy.
So I’ve no idea what to do. My ideal would’ve been a Fairphone with hardware suitable for GOS, and then having GOS on it, but alas. If there’s another option for phones also, I’d like to know.
As far as daily drivers go and if your threat model would say your risk is low, I think Fairphone with e/ is a great choice, yeah. I was thinking of the Fairphone 6 for that case, actually.
But if your threat model is higher, or if you want to support people with higher threat models, or want to prioritise security, I think GOS seems better. My worry is primarily about the ethics of a Motorola or Pixel, considering where Motorola is based and who owns it.
if you have a high threat model, I strongly recommend Graphene. since you’re considering ethics, have you thought about a used pixel?