Ratings / Hardware
Sovereign Rating 5 / 5 · Sovereign — Data stays local. Best class.
System76 demonstrates a strong commitment to user privacy, explicitly stating in its 2026 privacy policy update that it "does not sell your data." The company's Pop!_OS operating system, often pre-installed on its laptops, is designed with privacy in mind, featuring full-disk enc
System76 demonstrates a strong commitment to user privacy, explicitly stating in its 2026 privacy policy update that it "does not sell your data." The company's Pop!_OS operating system, often pre-installed on its laptops, is designed with privacy in mind, featuring full-disk encryption by default since 2018 and implementing Network Time Security (NTS) for encrypted time synchronization by 2022. Furthermore, the policy states that "System76 does not collect or store any information from Pop!_OS user installations," with minimal OS and hardware data used only temporarily for updates and connectivity verification, and no telemetry or error reports collected. This commitment extends to hardware, as seen in 2017 when System76 announced its intention to disable the Intel Management Engine (ME) firmware due to security concerns. The company also publicly voiced concerns in 2026 regarding proposed age verification laws, arguing they could compromise user privacy.
The full methodological and legal context for this rating. This card is what we point to when asked to substantiate the claim.