404 Media, along with Haaretz, Notus, and Krebs On Security recently reported on a company that captures smartphone location data from a variety of sources and collates that data into an easy-to-use tool to track devices’ (and, by proxy, individuals’) locations. The dangers that this tool presents are especially grave for those traveling to or from out-of-state reproductive health clinics, places of worship, and the border.

The tool, called Locate X, is run by a company called Babel Street. Locate X is designed for law enforcement, but an investigator working with Atlas Privacy, a data removal service, was able to gain access to Locate X by simply asserting that they planned to work with law enforcement in the future.

With an incoming administration adversarial to those most at risk from location tracking using tools like Locate X, the time is ripe to bolster our digital defenses. Now more than ever, attorneys general in states hostile to reproductive choice will be emboldened to use every tool at their disposal to incriminate those exerting their bodily autonomy. Locate X is a powerful tool they can use to do this. So here are some timely tips to help protect your location privacy.

  • @LunarVoyager
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    3 days ago

    Reposting this in case anyone needs this information

    Your survival kit:

    Empty GrapheneOS Pixel 6a bought with cash that isn’t your daily driver (last Pixel with snapdragon chip that allows IMEI changes)

    JMP.chat

    Silent.link

    Sensors off (developer options)

    Bluetooth/WiFi/NFC off

    Disable 2G/enable LTE only mode

    Offline maps/airplane mode when navigating/at destination/anywhere near your residence or other frequently visited places that could be associated with you. When changing the IMEI/IMSI combo make sure you go to another location first so that you break the link

    Infrared AND polarized license plate covers. Remove any and all bumper stickers and other accessories that can be fingerprinted

    SunFlexZone

    Ghostplate

    IR blocking lens sunglasses for facial recognition

    Reflectacles

    Tor browser over a trustworthy VPN

    If you drive a car that is mid-2010s or newer you may have to do some digging to disable telemetry, satellite, cellular etc.

    • @[email protected]
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      53 days ago

      Or, better, not use a car at all because automated license plate readers. Cars seem antithetical to anonymity in general. Better take a tram/bus/subway and buy tickets with cash. Or at least call a taxi if it’s really far from any transport stops.