I agree, it's not a tool, it's a compromised and dangerous device and I have to carry it with me carefully. I have always turned off my location from time to time and carefully managed permissions, but nowadays here's what I do:
- Graphene
- no biometric login
- no stale data on the device. If I won't need it while I am mobile, does it need to be on my phone?
- location off, BT off, and airplane mode when going into grocery stores or any surveillance a happy retailer.
- factory wipe or alternate phone before traveling internationally, especially to countries with questionable rule of law, including my own
- minimal non-FOSS apps (getting less every time I redo the phone)
- any app that has a usable web portal or can be accessed on desktop only (Facebook, reddit) does not get installed.
- no pairing with cars or other BT devices that are known to be sketchy.
If I controlled the software on a deeper level, I would set it up to have a toggle where it will only connect to the cell network every 30-60 minutes. There is little in my life that is more important than a half hour response time, so why am I continuously broadcasting my triangulated location? I would have that toggle turned on 90% of the time.