I’m looking into getting a flip phone with a separate number so that I can sign up for a few apps that without associating them with the complete identity profile in the data marketplace that is linked to my actual phone number.
To be clear, the apps will still be downloaded and utilized on my primary smartphone. But the phone number through which I receive verification codes during registration will be a separate device.
Has any one done this? Tips for selecting a cheapo phone and prepaid service?
Honestly, if you don’t want a separate device, I’d sign up for a VoIP number. I use voip.ms, it’s a dollar or two a month for the number, and you pay per minute and per text (about a penny each, IIRC). You can forward calls to your primary number, or set up a SIP app (I’m using one called ZoiPer). I usually load it up with $20 per year or so.
A lot of services block known voip numbers. I remember my Google voice number not working on a lot of sites
I use Google voice for everything so I wonder which you’re thinking of
GV doesn’t work anymore for many services, such as banks.
Lots is US banks reject VoIP numbers.
Discord rejects them as well but I doubt many here use it.
I don’t use it for those cases. Mostly use it when I don’t want a website to have my data. I use my real one for gov and banking
I can’t remember at this point, as google stealthily reclaimed my number at some point because the decided it wasn’t being used enough
Possibly the public ones, that don’t require an account or payment.
The problem I have with this is that it still links to my primary number through data profiling. Seems like a good option if I just want to keep my personal number separate from my work clients. But for data privacy, idk.
Through data profiling? Not sure what you mean.
Every person has a massive profile (table / database) built all about them. This isn’t conspiracy. This is big business. There are a few data brokerage companies focused on people:
-Acxiom (worlds biggest broker, pretty much every piece of junk mail you get drives from a company purchasing data from them)
-TransUnion (credit, such as if you pay the minimum bill or are late on payments)
-CoreLogic (all real estate purchase information)
-FourSquare Labs (location broker which i find to be particularly insidious)
There are also databases built specifically for business entities, such as Data Axle.
And companies will purchase packages from ALL of these data brokers when they want to target a specific audience.
Ah, gotcha. I kinda figured that was out there, but didn’t have names to associate with them.
I guess I’m wondering how a VoIP number would differ significantly from a burner phone. Obviously the burner is more private (assuming you pay cash, there’d be zero way to trace it anywhere). Signing up for a VoIP number with an alias seems almost as untraceable, assuming the VoIP company isn’t selling your data?