Above Phone launched in 2022, utilizes Graphene OS on Pixel hardware to eliminate Google services integration.
The integration of digital technology into daily life has accelerated corporate and government data collection capabilities. Since 2007, smartphone operating systems have established centralized control points for harvesting user information. The resulting data economy, valued at over $250 billion annually, fuels targeted advertising and behavioral influence operations.
Documented partnerships between technology corporations and intelligence agencies date back to the PRISM program revelations of 2013. These relationships continue under legal frameworks like Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, which received congressional renewal despite privacy concerns. Modern surveillance extends to residential WiFi routers tracking physical movements within homes, demonstrating the expanding perimeter of data collection.
Technical Alternatives and Market Response
Privacy-focused technology companies have emerged to address consumer demand for digital sovereignty. Above Phone, launched in 2022, utilizes Graphene OS on Pixel hardware to eliminate Google services integration. The device markets features including anonymous app access, offline maps, and open-source messaging solutions.
Company founder Hakeem Anwar promoted these products at the 2025 Peak Prosperity summit, emphasizing independence from mainstream technology ecosystems. The accompanying marketing materials claim Above Phone’s messaging solution operates on company-hosted servers to reduce vulnerability points. Independent security audits of these systems remain unpublished.
Structural Incentives and Unresolved Questions
The underlying business model of dominant platforms creates inherent conflicts with privacy protection. Google’s advertising revenue reached $237 billion in 2023, creating financial incentive to maintain data collection infrastructures. Regulatory frameworks like GDPR have demonstrated limited effectiveness against sophisticated compliance evasion techniques.
Mike Adams, developer of the Enoch AI system marketed alongside Above Phone, states his model was “retrained using alternative knowledge to eliminate pro-establishment biases.” The training data composition and methodology for bias elimination remain undocumented. Uncertainty persists regarding the actual independence of alternative technology providers from the systems they purport to replace.
Investigative gaps include corporate structures of privacy technology companies, verification of security claims, and evidence regarding alleged backdoors in mainstream encrypted messaging platforms. The fundamental tension between convenience and sovereignty in technology adoption remains unresolved without systemic reform.
