Privacy advocates got access to Locate X, a phone tracking tool which multiple U.S. agencies have bought access to, and showed me and other journalists exactly what it was capable of. Tracking a phone from one state to another to an abortion clinic. Multiple places of worship. A school. Following a likely juror to a residence. And all of this tracking is possible without a warrant, and instead just a few clicks of a mouse.

  • capital
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    233 hours ago

    Don’t bring your phone.

    Get a burner and set up call forwarding.

    • @[email protected]
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      223 hours ago

      burner goes from your house, to abortion clinic, to your office, back to your house

      Hmm, must be someone else, I don’t recognize this number

      -The Government

      • capital
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        22 hours ago

        You really can’t think of a solution to this?

        • @Jtotheb
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          112 hours ago

          You really think you came up with an airtight solution to device tracking that nobody in the industry has considered on a whim?

          • capital
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            32 hours ago

            Ok how’s the industry tracking a phone with no power?

            • @Jtotheb
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              182 hours ago

              That was possible over a decade ago.

              Link Link Link Link

              Also to be clear, you suggested that you bring a burner phone and set up call forwarding. That implies a phone that’s on. If you’re carrying a burner phone that’s off, I do have a novel solution, just don’t bring it

              • @[email protected]
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                121 minutes ago

                No that’s not easily possible on every phone. It’s a specifically crafted FakeOff malware, used by the NSA for targeted attacks. This is not something that just randomly gets deployed on every phone, it’s only used against individual targets. Use GrapheneOS to harden your Android device as much as possible, to defend against such malware getting installed in the first place.

                You really think the NSA will get involved to track someone who wants to get an abortion?

                That was possible over a decade ago.

                You know what also existed over a decade ago? Faraday bags. This concept of physics isn’t new.

                Just stop spreading fear and misinformation.

    • @[email protected]
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      63 hours ago

      Then how you gonna take a selfie in the bed?

      Seriously tho, people need phones for everything, including their calendar and map and communication with their partner.

      Not bringing a phone isn’t an option

      • @WrenFeathers
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        213 minutes ago

        I can assure you that people don’t need instant access to calendars and maps. Smart phones are a convenience, not a necessity.

        (Source - lived through the 80’s. Still alive to tell the tale)

      • @WindyRebel
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        3 hours ago

        Mapquest is still around, so that solves one problem. The rest can be alleviated by communicating in person with your partner and aligning on a plan to not get tracked (like partner driving you and leaving their phone at home).

        In the absence of that help, friends or family you trust. A cab? The clinic probably has a phone to hail a cab when you’re there.

        Disclaimer: I’m just providing work arounds, I’m not saying they’re ideal.

      • @[email protected]
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        32 hours ago

        There are alternatives to all of that. If you’re going to do potentially illegal acts, and you don’t want to rot in jail for the next however many decades until a scotus exists to set you free, take basic operational security into account and don’t bring the corporate tracking device that cops can freely tap into.

          • @[email protected]
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            -22 hours ago

            That’s cute but to get those laws you have to vote third party and hope they don’t get killed or bribed before passing said law. I don’t see that happening until long after the US collapses, so in the meantime it makes more sense to understand how not to be a victim to a fascist government.