Federal Judge: Warrentless cell phone tracking OK...

[K_W]

Since you know it's tracking you, others can track you to???

United States v. Skinner

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2609...e_than_the_color_of_your_car.html#tk.rss_news

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57...ks-warrantless-cell-phone-tracking-by-police/

 

[danielocean03]

Thread moved to more appropriate subforum.

 

[K_W]

Thread moved to more appropriate subforum.

Thanks... I wasn't sure as it wasn't purely political.

 

[NYFelon]

ridiculous

 

[eric001]

I will be the first to admit that I don't understand all the workings of all the cellphones out there--but on mine, I have an option to turn on, and thus turn OFF the GPS tracking on my phone. Now, whether or not that means my phone cannot be located when the GPS is toggled off, I have no idea. But since the option is there, I actually DO have "a reasonable expectation of privacy in the inherent external locatability of a tool that he or she bought"... and I would be more than a tad bit irritated if I ever learned that the .gov was indeed tracking me by my phone. Unless they have some legitimate, warrant-based reason to track me, the .gov has no business looking over my shoulder like that.

 

[NYFelon]

I will be the first to admit that I don't understand all the workings of all the cellphones out there--but on mine, I have an option to turn on, and thus turn OFF the GPS tracking on my phone. Now, whether or not that means my phone cannot be located when the GPS is toggled off, I have no idea. But since the option is there, I actually DO have "a reasonable expectation of privacy in the inherent external locatability of a tool that he or she bought"... and I would be more than a tad bit irritated if I ever learned that the .gov was indeed tracking me by my phone. Unless they have some legitimate, warrant-based reason to track me, the .gov has no business looking over my shoulder like that.

You can toggle on/off the GPS mapping capability, but the GPS e-911 tracking feature cannot be disabled without root access (on an android based phone).

 

[eric001]

Well dang. Newfangled technological nightmare in the form of an everyday gadget, I guess... Soooo... It's time for the tinfoil--and I suppose shutting the stupid phone off if a person doesn't want to be tracked by it??? Thanks for the well-informed reply, btw!!

 

[HeadlessRoland]

NSA, inter alia, can flip the switch even when powered off.
They are awesome little trackers that also happen to make phone calls.

 

[Sylvain]

Just dont carry a phone.

 

[$mooth]

Just dont carry a phone.

Gov't Threat to Liberty -> population retreats -> Further Gov't Threats to Liberty -> further retreat......

 

[Sylvain]

Gov't Threat to Liberty -> population retreats -> Further Gov't Threats to Liberty -> further retreat......

I just dont have the need for one.
All I need is to find a pay phone in case I shot someone and need to call 911.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I just dont have the need for one.
All I need is to find a pay phone in case I shot someone and need to call 911.

You might want to look a little closer. Those things are getting more scarce every day!

 

[Sylvain]

You might want to look a little closer. Those things are getting more scarce every day!

I have a phone at home if I want to call people, if im outside im usually busy so I dont want people calling me.
I do very well without a phone.

 

[jedi]

NSA, inter alia, can flip the switch even when powered off.
They are awesome little trackers that also happen to make phone calls.

if and only if the battery is still on the phone. u pull the physcially battery off the phone and it's not going to turn on even remotely. & thus why new "smartphones" don't have a way to pull the battery!

 

[$mooth]

I just dont have the need for one.
All I need is to find a pay phone in case I shot someone and need to call 911.

That's fair. I thought you meant we should ditch our phones because the Gov't oversteps, similar to the response to the incursion that is TSA is to "just don't fly".

 

[Sylvain]

That's fair. I thought you meant we should ditch our phones because the Gov't oversteps, similar to the response to the incursion that is TSA is to "just don't fly".

Haha no.
I have been "cell phone free" for a few years and I love it.
That's one less thing I have to carry on me, I dont have to worry about breaking it or anything, I dont need to change it every 6 months etc.
I still fly even though I hate the TSA.

 

[kludge]

"When criminals use modern technological devices to carry out criminal acts and to reduce the possibility of detection, they can hardly complain when the police take advantage of the inherent characteristics of those very devices to catch them," Judge Rogers wrote. "This is not a case in which the government secretly placed a tracking device in someone's car."

There's a big difference between "inherently there" and "inherently there because the government requires it to be there."

 

[IndyDave1776]

There's a big difference between "inherently there" and "inherently there because the government requires it to be there."

Excellent point!

 

[HeadlessRoland]

if and only if the battery is still on the phone. u pull the physcially battery off the phone and it's not going to turn on even remotely. & thus why new "smartphones" don't have a way to pull the battery!

Hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but the stored energy in the circuitry can still be utilized to monitor the phone for a long period of time. Even without the battery. Even without being on. Newer phones can store more energy sans battery, making it more problematic.

 

[jedi]

True but must like the capacitors on a mobo after u unplug the pc from the power outlet if you hit the plwer button several times the pc will attempt to turn on and discharge those capacitors and remove all the power from the mobo. Same concept with the phone.

Better thing to do is just have some take your phone with you while u need that anomitity or use a disposalable one aka katty cruz style.