# Introducing the Bananas Phone...I mean Freedom Phone **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 17, 2021, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722 "2021-07-17T16:52:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/1 "2021-07-17T16:52:46Z")
A $120 Chinese phone preloaded with free apps, with modified Android and its own app store–all for $500! > **[MAGA-Branded 'Freedom Phone' Is a Black Box That Should Be Avoided at All Costs](https://gizmodo.com/maga-branded-freedom-phone-is-a-black-box-that-should-b-1847299215)** > > Nobody can blame GOP voters for wanting a phone that prioritizes privacy and autonomy, but the Freedom Phone can't be trusted. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/2 "2021-07-17T16:54:15Z")
Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring banana phone! Sorry, I had to. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/3 "2021-07-17T23:36:34Z")
Yeah, ‘Freedom’ and ‘Chinese Phone’ do not belong in the same sentence. Anyone who uses this is an idiot, unless there is some specific way in which it offers protection that can’t be thwarted and can be verified. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/4 "2021-07-18T00:03:53Z")
What the great MAGA Freedom phone, like everything else associated with MAGA is a complete con!!?? This is the least surprising thing ever to have happened. Well I guess not, I’m little surprised its not a cigarette box with “freedom fon” written on it in sharpie. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/5 "2021-07-18T00:35:35Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > a cigarette box with “freedom fon” written on it in sharpie Well, that’d stick it to The Man and his socialistic conformist Spelling Rules. I’d pay extra for that. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/6 "2021-07-18T00:46:38Z")
Wait, this isn’t a practical joke perpetrated by [the French?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_fries) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/7 "2021-07-18T01:18:27Z")
The MAGA demographic is the most comprehensive mailing list of Manipulable And Gullible Airheads assembled in the history of the USA. They are a like a large school of defenceless small fish surrounded by sharks below and all around, and hungry gannets above. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/8 "2021-07-18T01:37:15Z")
Operator, get me Beijing! (jing jing jing!) ---
**Author:** ![shh1313](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shh1313/32/8020_2.png) [@shh1313](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shh1313)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/9 "2021-07-18T03:00:38Z")
Their privacy policy: _Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service._ _Usage Data may include information such as Your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data._ You can’t make this up!! Speachless 🤣 [https://www.phone-freedom.com/policies](https://www.phone-freedom.com/policies) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/10 "2021-07-18T03:13:00Z")
And they’re based in Jamaica. When the hell did Jamaica become part of the U.S.? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/11 "2021-07-18T06:11:48Z")
Trump bought it in 2017, it was a package deal with Greenland. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/12 "2021-07-18T12:35:24Z")
Apparently, Jamaica was paid for in paper towels. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/13 "2021-07-18T13:24:25Z")
Well, it’s not like there have never been [simplified spelling movements](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplified_Spelling_Board?wprov=sfti1) before. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2021, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/14 "2021-07-18T13:32:56Z")
Considering who the target audience is, there is a distinct conflict of interest when it comes to the rest of us denouncing this security quackery. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/15 "2021-07-20T20:06:08Z")
For a while you could stack coupon codes and get it for free (well, for $20 shipping) Ars has some info. > **[The MAGA-targeted “Freedom Phone” has a breathtaking amount of red flags](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/07/the-maga-targeted-freedom-phone-has-a-breathtaking-amount-of-red-flags/)** > > Analysis: The "uncensored" app store looks like Google Play. Update: Specs! Brian ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2021, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/16 "2021-07-20T20:53:19Z")
Is there any evidence that this is real? E.g. any prominent MAGAs using it? I’m not convinced (yet) that this isn’t someone trolling the Trumpists. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/17 "2021-07-20T21:01:24Z")
“The phone is supposed to ship in August.” What do I win if the shipments are delayed by two weeks? Then delayed again. And again. Finally someone will blame the liberals or Biden, or Soros. And no money will be refunded. More sucker money to be harvested. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/18 "2021-07-20T21:22:42Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > What do I win if the shipments are delayed by two weeks? Then delayed again. And again. Finally someone will blame the liberals or Biden, or Soros. And no money will be refunded. The “correctly predicting the religion of the pope and where bears poop” trophy. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/introducing-the-bananas-phone-i-mean-freedom-phone/946722/19 "2021-07-20T21:40:42Z")
A _RIIIING!_ to f#@&k them ALL? I [drew](https://schumanchu.eu/html/l/l_00037ring.html) that in 2018 already. Pfft!