Most people’s digital lives are on their phone.
Most people’s phones are controlled by someone else.
Apple and Google decide what runs, what’s tracked, what’s patched.
Digital sovereignty doesn’t stop at the desktop; it has to fit in your pocket.
Know Your Dependencies
Your handset isn’t neutral:
- OS updates are controlled by the vendor
- Apps can vanish when stores pull them
- Push notification and tracking frameworks are built into the system
Convenience hides the lock-in.
Reduce Platform Lock
You don’t have to jailbreak to get more control:
- Use F-Droid or independent app sources where possible
- Prefer cross-platform, open protocols (email, RSS, Matrix) over siloed services
- Own your number and accounts; don’t bind everything to a proprietary ID
Fewer single points of failure, more exits.
Harden Privacy by Design
Phones are surveillance devices by default:
- Audit app permissions regularly
- Disable analytics and ad tracking where you can
- Use DNS-level blockers or VPNs to control outbound requests
You can’t stop all tracking, but you can reduce it.
Control Your Data Flows
Critical files shouldn’t only live on your phone:
- Sync encrypted copies to your own storage
- Back up messages and contacts independently of vendor clouds
- Don’t assume the vendor will keep data safe or accessible forever
Your phone is a node, not the centre.
Plan for Updates and EOL
Mobile OS support ends:
- Pick devices with longer update lifecycles
- Learn how to flash custom ROMs if you’re willing to maintain them
- Have an exit plan for when the vendor stops caring
Old phones without security patches are sovereignty holes.
Accept Trade-Offs
You won’t get perfect control.
You will get more leverage if you design for it:
- Minimise dependencies
- Own what you can
- Audit regularly
Sovereignty is about knowing where the levers are — even on the device you stare at most.