Purism builds hardware for people who take privacy seriously. The company’s Librem laptops and Librem 5 phone come with hardware kill switches that physically disconnect the camera, microphone, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. No software hack can override a physical switch.
The Librem laptop line runs PureOS, a Debian-based Linux distribution that uses only free and open-source software. Purism works to eliminate proprietary firmware wherever possible and has made progress in areas like disabling Intel’s Management Engine — a controversial subsystem that runs independently of the operating system and has raised security concerns.
The Librem 5 phone is one of the very few smartphones that runs a full Linux distribution instead of Android or iOS. It uses PureOS with the Phosh mobile interface and supports convergence — plug it into a monitor with a keyboard and mouse, and it functions as a desktop computer. The phone has hardware kill switches for the cellular modem, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, and camera/microphone.
Purism also offers Librem One, a suite of privacy-respecting online services including email, chat, VPN, and social networking. These services don’t track users or mine data for advertising.
The company is a Social Purpose Corporation, meaning its charter includes commitments beyond shareholder profit. Purism’s products typically cost more than mainstream alternatives and sometimes involve long wait times, but for users who prioritize privacy and software freedom above all else, there aren’t many other options. Purism fills a niche that mainstream manufacturers ignore — hardware you can actually trust.
