Police in Catalonia have reportedly begun profiling individuals who use Google Pixel smartphones running GrapheneOS, a highly secure and privacy-focused operating system.
Law enforcement officials say that these devices are increasingly being used by drug traffickers, but privacy advocates argue this amounts to unfair suspicion of legitimate users.
GrapheneOS is a custom version of Android designed to provide stronger privacy and security features. It replaces Google’s standard Pixel OS and includes controls that limit app access to sensitive data, block internet access for individual apps, and allow for features like a duress PIN that deletes all data when entered.
While Google’s Titan M2 security chip offers protection at the hardware level, it is the privacy tools built into GrapheneOS that have reportedly drawn the attention of criminals—and now police.
However, technology users and developers are pushing back against the growing suspicion. Many say they use GrapheneOS not to evade law enforcement, but to protect their personal data from tracking by tech companies and potential hackers. Critics argue that associating privacy tools with criminal behavior sets a dangerous precedent.
“Using GrapheneOS doesn’t mean I have something to hide. It means I value control over my own device,” wrote one user who described their experience using the system.
The situation is particularly ironic, critics note, because Catalonia was the center of the 2019 Pegasus spyware scandal. The same region now sees police scrutinizing users who take extra precautions against surveillance.
The developers of GrapheneOS, along with privacy-focused services like Signal, have often come under pressure from regulators. In the EU, new legislation such as the proposed “Chat Control” law would require messaging platforms to scan encrypted content for illegal material—potentially compromising user privacy.
While some law enforcement agencies argue that tools like GrapheneOS can be misused by criminals, others warn that the benefits of such tools for ordinary citizens should not be ignored. Advocates compare the situation to cash or matchboxes—both can be used illegally, but remain legal because of their legitimate uses.
As digital surveillance increases globally, experts warn that punishing users for prioritizing privacy may have chilling effects on civil liberties.
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