Basically as the title says. How can i keep my phone and the data on it more secure? I routinely change account passwords, lock notes, have a more complex passcode, use a VPN. However, i feel that this is child’s play compared to the mass data tracking and surveillance that takes place. I have no delusions about the gov’t being interested in my life. It is more a matter of principal.
Any tips for the layperson?
VPN doesn’t keep your phone secure. I know that’s how the purveyors of FUD sell it, but it’s pretty much a lie.
You also seem to be confusing privacy and security which are two very different things with very different threat models.
I would recommend heading over to r/privacy
Security is not the same as privacy. You can secure all your data with a Google account but that’s not private. For security use strong passwords and MFA. And back up your data. For privacy you have to change what type of software you use and how. Like use a different browser like brave or Firefox instead of chrome. Change your email account to something like proton mail. A vpn doesn’t provide more privacy for example. You just shift your data from your isp to your vpn provider. You have to choose who you trust more. You could use a java script blocker in your browser or install a network like pi hole. Privacy is a personal matter. You decide how far you want to go because you could do a lot.
Regular password changes, unless you always use random unique passwords, might actually hinder security because attackers can then deduce your pattern. And if you always use random unique passwords, then you can just set it once, only check for errant login session once in a while. 2FA are better protection for your account.
These don’t really help against tracking and surveillance though. Even with a VPN, your phone will still report to Apple/Google, websites and apps can still track you, and if they leak their data accidentally or due to an attack, whatever is in your phone doesn’t help.
just dont do stupid things