https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200109/12421343709/some-fcc-subsidized-low-income-phones-are-chinese-malware-shitshow.shtml

We've long talked about the problems with the FCC's Lifeline program, which was created by Reagan and expanded by Bush Junior (yet somehow earned the nickname "Obamaphone"). The $2 billion program doles out a measly $9.25 per month subsidy that low-income homes can use to help pay a tiny fraction of their wireless, phone, or broadband bills (enrolled participants have to chose one). But for years, the FCC has struggled to police fraud within the program, with big and small carriers alike frequently caught "accidentally" getting millions in taxpayer dollars they didn't deserve.

Late last week another issue popped up with the government program, albeit of a different variety. Researchers over at MalwareBytes discovered that one-such government-subsidized low income wireless carrier, Assurance Wireless by Virgin Mobile, has been selling devices to low-income customers that are riddled with malware. One of the questionable apps pre-loaded on the device is dubbed "wireless update," and opens the door to malicious apps being installed without user awareness or consent: