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Unless of course you don't tie your real identity to your phone plan or more accurately your IMEI.

Which I've done personally for many years. They won't tell you it's possible at the stores but they don't ask questions if you say you forgot your drivers licence at home.

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As stated above, in many countries you have to by law

Didn't say it was, but the ones requiring IDs are more the exception than the rule, meaning hundreds of millions of people, and hardly anyone knows to do it so it's worth mentioning.

Fortunately that's not the only identity separation you can create, which IMO is as or more important day to day than encryption and other technical solutions.

But nothing beats limiting government power through policy which seems to unpopular these last few decades.

Is it the exception? Every country I’ve bought a SIM card in recently has required a passport or ID

Requiring IDs is not the exception these days. Also, limiting government power through policy seems unpopular because it doesn't work.

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