Value Your Privacy? Consider the Librem 5 Smartphone from Purism

It’s a fact of modern life that virtually everything you do is logged and utilized in some way. Most of the time, this isn’t for anything more sinister than advertising. You’ve probably noticed this if you’ve ever Liked something on Facebook, and then started seeing ads for it within Instagram. More subtle inferences are also commonly used, based on your browsing habits in general.

Most people just accept this as the price we pay for the convenience and features of the devices we use, services we’re part of, and websites we visit. But, for many, this breach of privacy is a serious violation. Stopping those breaches, however, isn’t any easy task. An individual trying to protect their privacy is fighting an uphill battle against a system specifically designed to collect their data (whether you want them to or not).

Enter Librem 5: a smartphone concept from Purism that is built from the ground up to protect your privacy and give you security. Purism is a San Francisco company that’s been around for a few years now, and their focus has been on creating laptops and tablets that make privacy and security a priority. These devices run their Linux derivative PureOS that, together with their custom hardware, aim to remove any part of the system (software or hardware) that can be used to track you.

The new smartphone is currently in the fundraiser stage (though, notably, not on Kickstarter). If it’s funded, units will begin shipping in January 2019. The design implements a number of security features, including the use of the PureOS, and hardware features like physical kill switches for the camera, microphone, and radios.

Librem 5 won’t be for everyone, most people just aren’t that concerned with their privacy. But, for those that are, it’s definitely a product to consider.