Privacy advocates gained access to a powerful tool bought by U.S. law enforcement agencies that can track smartphone locations around the world. Abortion clinics, places of worship, and individual people can all be monitored without a warrant.

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.

  • @laverabeEnglish
    1•4 hours ago

    Or just hit airplane mode / power off. Or just leave the phone at home, the procedure takes only 5-10 minutes.

    People are way to attached to their phones. The world will not collapse in that hour, it is a survivable event, or so I hear from reputable sources.

    • @GreenKnight23English
      5•3 hours ago

      airplane mode is on record not trustworthy.

      it will not communicate outward, but it will scan for WiFi and BT APs, then report home once you’re back online.

      even turning your phone off won’t help.

      you need to remove the battery to be sure.

      when I commit my “crimes” against “society” I just leave my phone at home.

      “where were you on x night?” - at home

      “what were you doing?” - jerking off to the thought of your intelligence guys listening to me beating off

      “…”

    • @mx_smithEnglish
      5•4 hours ago

      Can you really trust airplane mode to ensure there is nothing going out. I agree people should just leave them at home, but these bags are like putting tape over your laptop camera. Just an extra peace of mind when going to the Dr.

      • @laverabeEnglish
        3•4 hours ago

        I probably wouldn’t trust airplane mode, but I do believe power off is safe. There is no transmit capability in off correct?

        But yeah, leaving phone at home is best knowing tracking sites like these exist.

        • @[email protected]English
          1•26 minutes ago

          It has been know for at least a decade, I think, that the GSM chip could still contact cell towers while the phone was powered off. I’m sure its successor hasn’t lost that capability.