The article discusses the launch of Phreeli, a new phone company that aims to provide a more private and secure alternative to traditional cellular providers. The company's founder, Merrill, has a personal story of fighting against government surveillance powers, which inspired him to create this new venture.
Phreeli will use a novel encryption system called Double-Blind Armadillo to collect minimal personal information or none from its customers. This system is based on cutting-edge crypto protocols known as zero-knowledge proofs. The company's goal is to make privacy normal and available to everyone, not just those who want to be "hard-liners" against surveillance.
Merrill believes that the pendulum has swung too far in favor of total information awareness, and that people need to start taking back control over their personal data. He also notes that other phone companies are selling an apartment with no curtains, where the windows are incompatible with curtains - meaning they have no privacy features at all.
Phreeli plans to block bad behavior like spamming and robocalling by limiting how many calls and texts users can make, and banning users who appear to be gaming the system. However, Merrill acknowledges that some customers of his company will still use their services for nefarious purposes.
The article highlights the importance of having a private and secure phone option, especially in today's world where surveillance is more pervasive than ever. Phreeli aims to fill this gap and provide an alternative to traditional phone companies that prioritize data collection over user privacy.
Phreeli will use a novel encryption system called Double-Blind Armadillo to collect minimal personal information or none from its customers. This system is based on cutting-edge crypto protocols known as zero-knowledge proofs. The company's goal is to make privacy normal and available to everyone, not just those who want to be "hard-liners" against surveillance.
Merrill believes that the pendulum has swung too far in favor of total information awareness, and that people need to start taking back control over their personal data. He also notes that other phone companies are selling an apartment with no curtains, where the windows are incompatible with curtains - meaning they have no privacy features at all.
Phreeli plans to block bad behavior like spamming and robocalling by limiting how many calls and texts users can make, and banning users who appear to be gaming the system. However, Merrill acknowledges that some customers of his company will still use their services for nefarious purposes.
The article highlights the importance of having a private and secure phone option, especially in today's world where surveillance is more pervasive than ever. Phreeli aims to fill this gap and provide an alternative to traditional phone companies that prioritize data collection over user privacy.