We love our smartphones. They entertain us, keep us informed, allow us to communicate with pretty much everyone in the world, and so much more.
But there’s no denying that they have their dark side. The supply chain involved in sourcing the materials that go into your average handset frequently consists of poor working conditions, low pay, and exploitation.
The environmental impact of mobile phones, meanwhile, is beyond imagining. And the fact that we tend to get rid of our old phones while they’re still perfectly operational only compounds the problem, creating endless waste and constant demand for new devices.
And then there are the privacy implications of our mass smartphone addiction. Whether you know it or not, the device in your pocket is constantly communicating with organizations that want to know all about you for their own sordid commercial ends.
A study in 2018 showed that a phone running Chrome will share its location around 340 times in 24 hours – even when it’s lying undisturbed in sleep mode. Another 2018 study found that 88.4% of the 100,000 apps tested contained Google trackers.
Fortunately, there’s a solution to all of these problems in the form of iodé, a promising startup that deals with refurbished and new smartphones running a custom version of Android called iodéOS – and works under the latest ethics models too.
iodéOS puts privacy centre stage, analysing data requests in real-time and automatically blocking (or blocking in realtime) the unwanted recipients of this data. The OS also lets you block /unblock any recipient you want and evaluate your apps for privacy, ensuring that you’re always in control of what comes in and goes out.
Using iodéOS not only keeps your data private from pesky marketers, but it insulates you against the risk of a data breach too. These happen more often that you might think, and they can have diabolical consequences.
You can buy a handset from iodé with a clear conscience, meanwhile, since all of the phones it sells are either refurbished to the highest technical standards or manufactured to the highest ethical standards, with environmentally friendly components and fair pay throughout the supply chain.
To learn more, and maybe even do a spot of smartphone shopping, head to the iodé website right now.
