I'm looking for suggestions on Linux distributions that come completely clean of telemetry right after installation. I'm not very tech-savvy, just know enough for everyday tasks like installing and uninstalling programs. I want a distro that doesn't require any extra steps to remove telemetry once it's installed—something straightforward for a beginner. Please don't turn this into a debate over whether telemetry is necessary or not, I'm just focused on finding options that are free of it from the get-go.
4 Answers
Honestly, most Linux distributions don’t include telemetry out of the box. There are over 600 Linux distros, and I've tried quite a few. None of them require you to register or create an account just to install and use them. A few might offer telemetry options, but you can easily opt out during installation. I've only seen asks for permission to send error reports if something crashes, but that’s not the same as ongoing telemetry.
Good point about KDE and Flathub—those can have some telemetry regardless of the distribution because they operate independently. In general, most major distros disable telemetry by default, but you might find some built-in apps that can report usage stats if you dig deeper.
Debian’s installer does check for telemetry options, but it defaults to 'no,' so you’re pretty much safe if you stick with defaults. Just know that in some cases, like with the package popularity contest, it’s just collecting anonymous stats on what packages are used, but you can totally skip it.
You should check out Arch Linux! It’s a good choice if you want something with no telemetry right from the start. You begin with a minimal setup, so only the software you choose to install will have any telemetry features. That's if you install anything with telemetry at all!
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