Ask Lemmy

I’ve heard various rumors,

There is also information

I don’t know what to do, I’m scared.

1. Don't listen to rumors.
2. Cross reference all info you think is worth your attention.
3. Panic is not an answer, or it most certainly is the worst one. Instead, make a clear list of what you consider a threat to you (yur privacy, family, whatever)... for that you will need 1 & 2 to be sorted out. Then, for each threat consider your options and decide for you next action—not in a general sense 'I should find a way to fight against that phone spying on me' but the exact next/first step you need to do in order to solve a specific issue.

For example, unless we need them (which seldom happens) we do not keep our phones with us at home all the time, they're stored in a small closed box, that is stored in the laundry room (whose door is also closed and which is also the remotest room from our living spaces and bedroom in our apartment, it's also the noisiest room when we do laundry.)

My phone has gaffer over the front facing cam. No idea if that phone can record through gaffer (I doubt it can, but I don't know for sure) but at the very least the gaffer is a barrier between that phone and my privacy.

I store almost no personal data (as little as possible) on that phone, almost no apps (and no games or social). They, whoever they happen to be, can scan through that phone as much as they fancy, be my guest. And, yes, that also means I'm not doing a lot of the stuff I could easily do. So be it, that's a price I'm willing to pay.