[DaveW]

Reading this story framed as a "Great news, we will rescue you" reveled an interesting development.
So turning off your GPS on the phone to stop apps tracking you for privacy, well the government has a work around so they can always track your phone.

GPS emergency 111 emergency caller location tracker a 'game changer'

It was this lil quote that raised my attention.

The new system uses GPS services on smartphones - even if these are turned off

So obviously they have a hack for all the popular phone operating systems (including apple soon going by the report) to bypass some security features.

And then...

The new system did not need a warrant, or the caller's consent, so Privacy Commissioner John Edwards had to amend privacy rules to allow it.

Sorry, you what without consulting the public?

Police minister Paula Bennett said the system would not be vulnerable to abuse by police in tracking criminals or those wanted on warrants to arrest as it was only triggered when people called 111 - the location is wiped after 25 seconds while all data is deleted within an hour.

Ahh the 111 system (NZ's 911) is manned by the police..........

Maybe it's just me but this seems ripe for future abuse by authorities.

 

[DaveW]

Essentially showing the capability to enact warrantless tracking of citizens.

 

[kidwoo]

I have a flip phone.

I will be replacing it with a flip phone.

 

[Kevin]

I stopped caring because theres nothing we can do about this and i dont want to give up my iphone.
I know its wrong and very Orwellian/distopian, but i dont plan on reproducing and i stopped giving a fuck about mankind as a whole.

They can track me wherever the fuck they want if that makes them happy. I just hope im dead before the real shit hits the fan.

 

[stevew]

davew....just look up at the sky and wave to them while you are pulling the ole taffy....the eye of sauron sees all....

 

[jimmydean]

Google calls it a "feature".

 

[Westy]

I always leave my phone at home when out murdering hookers and hobos.

 

[6thElement]

If you carry a cell phone you're trackable...Flip phone or not.

 

[mykel]

If you carry a cell phone you're trackable...Flip phone or not.

Nay your good.
Remove battery if possible.
If not, portable faraday cage?
( on top of head, under tinfoil does not count )

 

[Serial Midget]

I am pretty sure I do not do anything worth tracking, no murdering, minimal money laundering and moderate drug abuse are not worth the expense of analyzing my 2 cell phones and satellite watch.

 

[Jm_]

Then there's your car's GPS, traffic cameras that can track you, microwaves, etc...

 

[Pesqueeb]

Then there's your car's GPS, traffic cameras that can track you, microwaves, etc...

 

[jonKranked]

If you carry a cell phone you're trackable...Flip phone or not.

difference is range accuracy.

 

[syadasti]

If you carry a cell phone you're trackable...Flip phone or not.

Yes, AGPS was mandated by E911 so around 95% of all cellphones a decade ago were equipped regardless of other cellphone features and can locate you within a minimum of 300m - and some do work in standby mode. This is not a new development

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_9-1-1#Wireless_enhanced_911

http://gpsworld.com/innovation-assisted-gps-a-low-infrastructure-approach/

 

[jonKranked]

Yes, AGPS was mandated by E911 so around 95% of all cellphones a decade ago were equipped regardless of other cellphone features and can locate you within a minimum of 300m - and some do work in standby mode. This is not a new development

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_9-1-1#Wireless_enhanced_911

http://gpsworld.com/innovation-assisted-gps-a-low-infrastructure-approach/

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Hole-Faraday-Bag-Anti-tracking/dp/B0091WILY0

 

[syadasti]

Coincidentally, thanks to wireless E911, yesterday morning while my parents were on vacation near Gettysburg when my father experienced a Type A dissection of the aorta and my mother called 911 they were able to quickly locate them even though they had no familiarity with the area. He was airlifted and is expected to recover.

 

[6thElement]

Yes, AGPS was mandated by E911 so around 95% of all cellphones a decade ago were equipped regardless of other cellphone features and can locate you within a minimum of 300m - and some do work in standby mode. This is not a new development

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_9-1-1#Wireless_enhanced_911

http://gpsworld.com/innovation-assisted-gps-a-low-infrastructure-approach/

That would be in my areas of expertise.

Not that we used to use such technology 15+ years ago to see if our boss was truly "working from home" or hanging out in his parents garden.

@DaveW NZ is very progressive with their 911 tech

 

[jonKranked]

Coincidentally, thanks to wireless E911, yesterday morning while my parents were on vacation near Gettysburg when my father experienced a Type A dissection of the aorta and my mother called 911 they were able to quickly locate them even though they had no familiarity with the area. He was airlifted and is expected to recover.

sorry this happened to your dad. glad it seems he'll be OK.

this is exactly the kind of scenario it is intended for.

 

[StiHacka]

If not, portable faraday cage?

Like vvv ?

 

[syadasti]

sorry this happened to your dad. glad it seems he'll be OK.

this is exactly the kind of scenario it is intended for.

Thanks. Emergencies are not the time for troubleshooting manual location solutions. Given the severity, even people familiar with an area might not handle a life and death situation with the speed required.

 

[JohnE]

(Insert snarky Orwell/1984 reference here.)

 

[stevew]

Coincidentally, thanks to wireless E911, yesterday morning while my parents were on vacation near Gettysburg when my father experienced a Type A dissection of the aorta and my mother called 911 they were able to quickly locate them even though they had no familiarity with the area. He was airlifted and is expected to recover.

fuuuuuck......get well soon syadastis pops....

 

[stevew]

I always leave my phone at home when out murdering hookers and hobos.

only sloppy serial killers get caught...

 

[-BB-]

Coincidentally, thanks to wireless E911, yesterday morning while my parents were on vacation near Gettysburg when my father experienced a Type A dissection of the aorta and my mother called 911 they were able to quickly locate them even though they had no familiarity with the area. He was airlifted and is expected to recover.

What did he do to piss your mom off so much that she "slashed" him?

 

[-BB-]

(Insert snarky Orwell/1984 reference here.)

In the end I realized that I LOVE BIG BROTHER

 

[kidwoo]

If you carry a cell phone you're trackable...Flip phone or not.

Only to a degree though. Nowhere near the same level as a gps equipped one.

Triangulation's a bitch though, I agree.

 

[syadasti]

Only to a degree though. Nowhere near the same level as a gps equipped one.

Triangulation's a bitch though, I agree.

But it's been about a decade since you could buy cellphones without AGPS, so that's moot point.

 

[syadasti]

fuuuuuck......get well soon syadastis pops....

Today he is conscience enough to answer yes and no questions by shaking his head to the nurses.

 

[kidwoo]

But it's been about a decade since you could buy cellphones without AGPS, so that's moot point.

You haven't seen my cellular telephone.

 

[Jm_]

You haven't seen my cellular telephone.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]