Concerns of privacy and security have been ever growing in recent times, with the NSA’s activities coming to light. Almost every big-name corporation has come under the public’s hammer for allowing the clandestine agency to tap into users’ accounts, unhindered. The Agency itself has been actively monitoring all communication, with many rumours strongly suggesting that the agency can not only take over your mobile device at a whim, but also that they’ve built backdoors into almost all popular online services and hardware. And here you thought just because you use Snapchat, you had your privacy intact. However, if you are the kind who is totally pissed off with the complete violation of your privacy, there may be a way out for you.
Geeksphone, a company that has been known for their work with the Firefox OS has just announced the development of the Blackphone. While details about the hardware are scant, the company has said that it would be an Android based phone running a top of the line processor with focus purely on privacy and security. The company has said that the phone would not offer stock Android, but instead would be running a “PrivatOS” interface that would allow users to make and receive private phonecalls and messages. Web browsing would be made private through means of a built in Anonymous VPS service courtesy Silent Circle, a company that happens to be a key partner in the Blackphone project.
Geeksphone has said that the phone will be showcased at MWC next month and pre-orders should begin by the end of February. Currently, there is no word on actual specifications of the phone or the price, but what we do know for sure is that the phone will be offered as an unlocked device, meaning it can be bought and used on any GSM carrier.
The introduction of the Blackphone could be one of the first shows of defiance against the NSA, an agency that has seemingly appointed itself as the supreme authority in all matters regarding security. While the snooping has been going on since as early as 2007, it was Edward Snowden who blew the lid off this warrantless violation of people’s civil liberties, with evidence coming forth that it wasn’t just the common people who were being monitored, but also several global leaders. While the people have failed to persuade the government into rectifying the matter, it has finally come down to non-US companies such as Geeksphone to create solutions that guarantee privacy.
While there is the possibility that the US government might strong arm Geeksphone, a small Spanish company into ceasing the manufacturing of this device, it would be interesting to see if big names like Samsung and HTC jump on the privacy bandwagon.
However, the Blackphone will create one major concern; security. A phone with a completely private and encrypted network, incapable of being monitored or hacked would be a terrorist’s dream phone. What is to keep unsavory elements from using the Blackphone for actions that endanger national or global security? You can watch this video by the people who are the brains behind this project to get more insight into what sparked the creation of the Blackphone.
| |