Seems like (at some point, or maybe already) this decision will itself be the sort of thing that contributes to someone being flagged as suspicious
That's why I feel it's super important hardware developers get on board with open source OS support for mobile, much like some are for Linux already. It should be the norm to not be tracked by corporate entities and advert networks, it should be the weird option to opt into that.
> Tucked away neatly in Australian law is the concept that a phone that is not iPhone or Android is a criminal device, similar to owning lockpicks. Something like GrapheneOS.
My query:
> "is it illegal in australia to have a mobile phone that does not use iphone or android?"
> Owning, buying, and using an encrypted phone is legal in Australia, and so is installing a different operating system on a device you own.
Also, dumb phones are certainly not illegal. Plenty of old folks still use them.
Anyway, it's probably nothing. Let's ignore it until it becomes an issue.
I am aware that back a few years ago, 2018 iirc federal law was introduced which granted additional powers to law enforcement in regard to telecommunication equipment, though only skimming though the rules, but not greatly understood - I was left to assume if the device is discovered via a search, the law can view and copy data the device stores or accesses if they so desire.
I actually have an old pixel phone that given to me and has GrapheneOS ... but like the rest of my cheap phones, I only use them for phone calls, texts, photos, time piece, maybe once a year utilise GPS and a hotspot when the signal from the nearby towers are good enough to get some bandwidth. [Mobile networks as such that my usual location can be so iffy even receiving a simple sms in a timely manner can be a challenge]
I would hope that merely owning lockpicks is considered benign, but the carrying of lockpicks without good reason could be considered suspicious, though not criminal in itself. However, it would be amusing to see LockPickingLawyer being thrown into a cell and then the cops hearing "click on one, binding on two..."