I was speaking about the prepaid cellular phones. Again, in most parts of the world, you cannot get an anonymous sim-card. AFAIK you also cannot create a Google account without a phone number.
Everyone loves to say depends on your threat model so lets define "tied to your real identity".
1. the number everyone you have met since you were 12 has in their contacts.
2. the number a few people have but you also use for you facebook account.
3. the number nobody / no tech has but you have provided your legal id to the network provider.
4. the number nobody / no tech has and you gave the network provider a burner email for.
5. the number nobody / no tech has that you paid for in cash while wearing a wig and glasses half way across town. You put into a new, paid for in cash phone, activated and used briefly while carrying no other electronic devices while disguised and avoiding cctv.
6. the inbound phone number in the lobby of the ritz carlton.
Some of those are better than using 'firstname.lastname' as you identifier. 1&2 are definately public numbers 4&5&6 are not.
#3 in the real world is semi-anonymous - for those with real privacy needs, they should be taking many other precautions and shouldnt be carrying a tracking device or using a single phone number or service irrespective of it being in their name or someone elses or nobody at all. For privacy LARPERS of course it is not at all anonymous.
fsflover|4 years ago
shapefrog|4 years ago
1. the number everyone you have met since you were 12 has in their contacts.
2. the number a few people have but you also use for you facebook account.
3. the number nobody / no tech has but you have provided your legal id to the network provider.
4. the number nobody / no tech has and you gave the network provider a burner email for.
5. the number nobody / no tech has that you paid for in cash while wearing a wig and glasses half way across town. You put into a new, paid for in cash phone, activated and used briefly while carrying no other electronic devices while disguised and avoiding cctv.
6. the inbound phone number in the lobby of the ritz carlton.
Some of those are better than using 'firstname.lastname' as you identifier. 1&2 are definately public numbers 4&5&6 are not.
#3 in the real world is semi-anonymous - for those with real privacy needs, they should be taking many other precautions and shouldnt be carrying a tracking device or using a single phone number or service irrespective of it being in their name or someone elses or nobody at all. For privacy LARPERS of course it is not at all anonymous.