Advice on mitigating data collection from internet and phone company

Questions
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Hi. I’m in an uncomfortable situation regarding my ISP and phone provider where I might have to give up compartmentalization and personal information.

My personal phone plan was with a low-cost subsidiary of one of the major internet companies, with a lax policy towards IDing customers. I was able to set up my account without giving my real personal information. I paid for it with my personal credit card until I switched to cash. My phone is set up with GrapheneOS and always-on VPN, but I am still using the built-in call and SMS for personal matters.

I don’t use home internet, but the internet and phone used at my work is under my uncle’s name. (I work at his small business.) The devices that that ISP has knowledge of are the work phone and computer, a payment processing machine, and our personal devices. Again, my personal device has always-on VPN enabled.

My uncle is switching to a combined internet and phone plan. The requirements for the offer he’s taking are that he needs to port 4 phone lines over and sign up the account under a new person. In order for it to happen, I need to sign up for the service and port my line over. The service also requires social security number and photo ID.

I’m concerned about what data I’m giving up by following through with this plan.

1 Like
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Well, the answer for this is pretty simple. Any PII (personally identifiable information) you’ll be sharing to do what you need to is the “problem”.

In this case, I don’t know what I can tell you that can resolve this issue because this is for work and with your family so you’ll have to speak with him about your concerns. This is kind of a good time to educate your family about data, privacy, and security breaches you will inevitably have if you go this route. And implore him to find alternatives. Better yet, you should find an alternative to what he wants to do and why and recommend that instead where so much data is not asked by the service provider.

That’s my suggestion. Good luck to you!