My first smartphone was a Blu Studio G. I found out just this week, long after I have moved on to others, that it was 'rooted' from the factory. China, of course.

Given that pervasiveness of surveillance, I reckon all smartphones are rooted from the get go.

I'm dusting off my old clamshell. They can still get the metadata, but it doesn't even have GPS, so they'll have to triangulate my position from cell towers.

At least I can make them work for it, and they'll get a lot less out of it.

Thanks!