[Security Discussion] setmov:
The point is that is not important what OS you are using, or what is the phone manufacturer. All of them send your data to their "masters". Said that, let's take a look at google. The first time you boot your precious phone, and you connect to the net, Google will receive your IMEI, your phone number, your location (based on network or gps, depends) an all the data you have on your phone. Ok, I know, I know, they are the owners of the Android OS, and they can do whatever they want, and you will never know what they are doing if you have a stock rom, You will not know what they are doing as a power user with highly customized rom as well. Why? Well, because their API. To be clear, the API, also known as "application programming interface (API) specifies a software component in terms of its operations, their inputs and outputs and underlying types. Its main purpose is to define a set of functionalities that are independent of their respective implementation, allowing both definition and implementation to vary without compromising each other.(as per wikipedia)" in not always an "open source project" and the Android core platform API is not "open source" at all, even in the "AOSP" project. The point is that when you use an android platform, if you want it or not, Google receive your data. Let me go further....a month or so ago, Google has implemented their Gmail policy, and started a new monitoring program against pedophilia, and at my point of view, this is a good thing, but, you have to know what's going on. actually they scan every email in your inbox and to or from their Gmail service searching for clues. If they find something, then you're screwed, because they know who you are. Believe me, they know! But this is not the point, so, where they store all the infos on you, and your Gmail account, when they find nothing? Oh, of course on their servers in the US!!! Based on the Patriot Act, the "Agencies" do not need any kind of "court order" to take a peek inside your life. They can do whatever they want, and actually they are doing it. Google will never say NO, and it's obvious why. Based on what is above mentioned, all the US based companies do the same. Unfortunately, the most of the world use Android, even if the manufacturer is Chinese or Vietnamese or whatever else. If you strip Android apart because all of that and you want your privacy back, you will find an interesting thing, that your Android will no more work correctly, and you will find it unusable. This is exactly because the core functionalities that spy on us. We can discuss this as much as we want, but these are facts. To be completely sure that no one is spying on you, someone would have to rebuild the whole Android system, but without a lot of money and the right "crew" this will never happen. Same thing you can expect from Apple (no need to mention the leakage of their cloud system) or Microsoft. Xiaomi, also use services that need your personal data...cloud, sms, mms, whatever, and by buying their product you agreed with them. They will not stole your credit card, but their "agencies" will know who you are, and what you do. But, to be honest, they will do you nothing if you are a non-Chinese citizen. I have never seen Chinese Agencies doing something to the rest of the world, but I have seen US agencies doing bad things to their citizens and the rest of the world. So, let's be honest and admit it, as much as we talk about laws, no one is protected by them. If you are gonna buy a phone, you have to face the fact that you will be under surveillance and monitored. If you have the luck and you live in Switzerland, then you're ok, if not, well....face it, you are SOL. You have just to understand that no provider, manufacturer or OS developer will never solve this issue, because there is no interest.