We were promised a technological future with ways to search for things of interest, find out how to get to places on a map, etc. Instead the government can now track us in our daily lives anywhere and everywhere we go 24/7. That would be great in a world where the government is of the people, by the people and for the people. However in reality they want to find us and send us to el Salvador. WTF!
Until things change, I am not buying a single electronic device. Not an iPad or a TV or an empty-tree player. This is ridiculous. And now we can’t even know anything because all news is coming from the Murdocks and they just killed off NPR and PBS. This is how the bad part of the story starts.
See you all in a fire pit somewhere!
Buy a faraday bag and keep your phone in it at all times unless you’re using it or sitting at home. That’s what I do.
It’s extreme, but I don’t see any other defense except not having a phone.
Turning off GPS and turning on airplane mode should do the exact same, right? If you don’t trust your OS you could use something like GrapheneOS or LineageOS, that’s what I do. I don’t feel the need to physically stop my phone from collecting data if it’s Operating System is free software and built to respect my privacy. That way my smartphone actually does what I want, instead of working against my interests. Constantly fighting against the device you carry all day sounds exhausting.
Your windows laptop too.
But better go Linux
Couldn’t you just, like, turn it off?
Off really isn’t off anymore, more like standby and it can still send data.
Would you mind sharing why you think that?
I’m not the person you’re replying to, but I don’t think it’s paranoid to think the three letter agencies have this tech. Back in 2013 NSA could do it, seemingly through a virus. Now? It’s probably more trivial on certain phones. Apparently the “find my iPhone” feature works on the most recent generations of iPhones even when they’ve powered off, and some phones will ring a set alarm when when off (I’ll get back to you with an edit if my older smartphone has that feature).
If you’re being specifically targeted by three letter agencies it might be a concern. Everyone else I don’t know.
I think acknowledging that there may be things we don’t know and if you’re trying not to be tracked not carrying a phone is probably smart makes sense. The people making these sweeping assertions about how phones work in general with no evidence not so much.