I’ve always been very private oriented: I started using linux-debian 20 years ago after discarding windows and apple. I rarely buy online but when I did, to be as private as possible I used to create an account using fake data by the e commerce platform I wanted, get my order and then ignore the account until I wanted yo use it again. Most of the times I used a vpn.
This worked till the platform banned me.
Now I’m thinking about investing in ETFs to build some capital for my retirement and platforms recommended to me like trade republic or scalable capital seem to be exclusively smartphone reliant. I wouldn’t use fake data to create accounts here, nor would it be possible (bank data involved).
The trouble with smartphones: I don’t want to be that guy changing smartphones every 2 or even 4 or 8 years. Spending $200 to $800 for a phone for such a short period of time is just a dumb idea, but I don’t know if it would be safe to use my 2018 android 8 smartphone to invest in ETFs. This 2018 model is my first smartphone. It’s a second hand one somebody gave me because he thought I really needed it. I would have never bought a new smartphone on my own. However, unsupported models are not secure for investing and this model stopped being supported years ago.
Another trouble I see: to use scalable capital or trade republic I’d have to download their app in my smartphone. Google is a company I don’t trust. Each time I needed to use something from their app database I got it using aurora, but I’m afraid scalable capital will automatically ban me if I download their app from f-droid instead of doing it officially using google. Using google to create an account would mean giving them my real data, because otherwise I risk being labeled a scammer. Correct me if wrong.
I’d love to invest using only a browser on a desktop.
I’ve learned that it all starts with the phone, and the internet router. The phone is essentially a little computer that people use as a wallet. Phone number is connected to almost everything people do. If someone has a smartphone they should update it every 5-8 years, even if they don’t use online banking.
Personally, if I didn’t want to buy a smartphone I’d just get a fliphone. Those are like $15, $20. You can afford to buy one of those every 8 years. Tracfone sim cards are essentially disposable so it’s possible to use a phone number to create an account and then discard it if needed, or keep it active indefinitely. When I used Tracfone, I’d pay by the minute or by the text, and the time would last until used. I’d pay $20 once and get say 60 minutes of talk and however many texts. At the time I communicated mostly on messaging apps so I’d use the phone number for things I’d need a phone number for, like the doctor. The smartphones are like $40-$100.
I wouldn’t use fake identities for e-commerce but rather I’d choose a trusted e-commerce platform, use a fake email and phone number because they now demand both but use your real name and address. I don’t know how you’re getting things on e-commerce using an alias, because they need to be able to send you the thing you bought. There’s a service called Hushed, requires a tablet or phone, which sells phone numbers in packs of 1-3. 3 pack of phone numbers is $15, so you could have a phone number for personal use, a phone number for work, a phone number for e-commerce. There’s also MySudo, which sells 9 pack of email/phone number aliases for $15. With Hushed it’s possible to login on other devices but MySudo is device encrypted and requires a QR code to sync a limted number of devices.
If you’re interested in investing, want to use a mobile device for some reason but don’t want a phone, you should get a fliphone and a tablet instead of using a smartphone. A lot of smartphone apps, including those for online banking or trading, are also on the tablet. Tablets are a lot more advanced today than 5 years ago, and they’re more like ‘lite’ computers, but they have the same smartphone apps a lot of the time. But, you’d have to feel comfortable spending $200-$800 every 8 years on a tablet instead of a phone.