That wasn't what they asked. Obviously the carrier can do shit but that's a separate issue with different solutions. That doesn't mean we shouldn't care about the phone itself.
I took it as "Is there a phone we can actually use without [any] data being harvested?", in which case my point stands, but I also understand your point as well.
Both are issues, I agree. I think the phone we use is what we have the most control over though which is why I’d like to have a phone which is as good as I can get privacy-wise. (And any insight on what that phone/set-up would be, hence the question!)