Privacy Trap in GrapheneOS
The hidden privacy trap in the very first step of de-Googling your Pixel that instantly links your identity to your device before you even install GrapheneOS.
For anyone serious about de-Googling their life,
you need to know about this. I've seen privacy
concerned people overlook a crucial step in the
GrapheneOS installation process that creates a
direct link to Google.
The Step: On a Google Pixel,
before you can unlock the bootloader, you must
enable "OEM unlocking" in the Developer Options.
The moment you toggle that setting, your phone
makes a network request to Google's servers.
Google receives that request and can see your IP
address.
If you're doing this from
your home network, an IP tied to your name,
you've just created a digital fingerprint
linking you (and your location) to that specific
device's serial number before you even wiped it.
Google now knows that
1) the person at your IP address is in
possession of that specific Pixel phone, and
2) that you intended to modify its software!!!
How to Mitigate:
Use a trustworthy VPN, or preferably, public
Wi-Fi (like a café) that is not associated with
you.