The issue of Big Tech monetizing user data is still as relevant today as it has ever been, but with very few tangible steps being taken to actually resolve it. So far, the effects of more stringent data regulations are usually reserved for companies harvesting data for ads, but the jump from ads to something more nefarious, like hacks, theft, or government surveillance, is very small.
Any modern smartphone has a Mobile Advertising ID (MAID), which helps advertisers deliver focused ads to users based on location, browsing history, and other behaviors. This data is collected, bundled with other aggregated user information, and sold to all kinds of organizations. With that in mind, it's easy to see how all this data could be used for something more pernicious than a targeted ad.
Unplugged is a mobile technology developer that has launched an app suite to help users reclaim their privacy. By introducing four mobile applications, Unplugged creates an alternative to similar tech giant offerings-empowering consumers to communicate and browse online while reclaiming their right to privacy from unwanted monitoring and analysis.
The offering includes an instant messaging app, UP Messenger, a platform enabling users to keep their daily communications secured from outside interception with maximal encryption. It also includes Proprietary VPN, Antivirus, and an App store.
"News stories continue to come out about the misuse of our private data by numerous organizations. The everyday mobile phone users are coming to grips with just how much of a product they are," says Ryan Paterson, President of Unplugged. "We are hearing from people across the globe that they are ready to reclaim their privacy as a basic human right. Through the launch of our apps and smartphone, we are building a new and revolutionary way for average people, across demographics, to truly utilize the internet's potential for free communication without the constant worry of data-siphoning entities monetizing their information at every turn."
With the launch of the app suite, Unplugged paves the way for future software and hardware releases. Part of these developments includes a state-of-the-art smartphone slated to be released in 2023.
The UP Phone is Unplugged's flagship mobile product built for private communication. A sophisticated smartphone powered by Unplugged's proprietary LibertOS operating system. Developed with an emphasis on privacy and security, LibertOS is designed to forge a path away from tech giants' supervision, MAIDs, and other invasive operating systems.
As part of the launch, Unplugged is opening a bounty program with a potential minimum prize of $25 thousand. The challenge involves "stealing" a key to a crypto wallet shared across the UP Messenger. Contestants can register to receive updates on the hacking challenge once the program launches.
