u/TheRealTyson6474

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I don't usually use Reddit for what I am about to talk about here, but I wanted to share something and I suppose this place is relevant because I felt r/degoogle was relevant, but this subreddit may be more generalized in the topic.

So I am trying to shift from being a normal Joe Shmoe who's oblivious to stuff to having my privacy, well, be private, as the tech nerd I am. I've been poking around and I've been starting to realize how much data companies extract from what we do, and I'm becoming unnerved from it the more I think about it. Random coorporations and algorithms suddenly pushing up recommendations about what I have recently searched is unsettling since I can't see who has access to that data, and more of the fact I don't want it there in the first place.

This afternoon, I was brought up to my parent and her boyfriend asking me about a new phone. (I'll not be sharing their names out of privacy.) This new phone would be on their plan. Problem is, it's Verizon, and after digging through some of the internet, Verizon locks their bootloaders, which goes way against what I am wanting to do. (I'm planning to switch to GrapheneOS sooner rather than later.)

Her boyfriend is more of a logisitcal person (and older) and their logic makes sense without the context of what I want to do; turning down a Pixel 10 from Verizon so I can get a Pixel 8 unlocked from a refurbrished seller is ridiculous in his eyes, considering he says I could sell the phone in 3 years for more than double that Pixel 8 on the refurbrished seller's website. But to me, the costs outweigh more of the benefits, at least in my head;

- I won't know what will happen during or after the three years that I am forced to have for this phone. For all I know some crazy law could pass being "no phone unless you give me data"

- I'd have to pay for something I don't truly get to customize to my full extent. (Verizon keeps bootloaders unlocked even after the phone is paid off.)

- Verizon installs their software and random apps on my phone to make a quick buck. (I've been fooled into thinking that adware was installed on my phone, only to realize Verizon was the adware itself.)

So my question is, is money worth more, knowing that you can't sell the phone until after 3 years, unknowing what will happen in that time, than privacy is worth? I don't know how to explain to both of them in a quick and consice way because I feel like they don't have paitence like I do.

(Edit since I forgot to put this in:)

Before anyone tries to give me a spheel on "oh u can just not use a phone or anything techy related and you got privacy," it's not that simple.

We as humans are very reliant on technology and convience that it's really hard to break out of a cycle of using technology. Even if we did most stuff would require us to use our phones to verify ourselves. No PC? No laptop? Not even a phone? You may not be able to apply for a job if you don't have any of those. Correct me if I am wrong.

We're bound to use technology at least once in our lives, and while yes, technically you give up your privacy by going on to the internet, you can limit how much information you give them to the point that they only know you own a phone and not know that you like, say anime or somethin'. Severing your ties from your online self from your real life is what (I assume) most people who care a lot about privacy try to acomplish.