Guess who's tracking you by cell phone?

ZDNet News ^ | 2/27/02 | Ben Charny

[scholar]

They are never going to track me very far. I only use my cell phone for the reduced rates for long distance calls. My phone is never on to receive calls.

[Free the USA]

I owned and used cell phones for years, even got one of the first digital phones but then a few years ago I cancelled when I saw this coming. At the time they could just track where you were within a couple of square miles, now they will be able to pinpoint your location.

[DLfromthedesert]

So they can't locate you when it's off? Mine is mostly off. I have it for emergencies.

[who knows what evil?]

"We already know where you live, but we haven't made that available to anyone," Verizon Wireless representative Nancy Stark said.

Yet.

[Ferris]

It doesn't matter one damn bit whether or not a company knows where you are...

The only thing that matters is whether or not the government knows where you are...

[blam]

"So they can't locate you when it's off? Mine is mostly off. I have it for emergencies."

Travis, is this correct? Thanks.

[scholar]

So they can't locate you when it's off?

I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure that as long as the phone is off, there is no way to trace you with it. I got my phone for (a) road emergencies; and, (b) more economical long distance calling rates. Otherwise the phone is off.

[watcher1]

If the phone is off. You cannot be tracked

[blam]

"If the phone is off. You cannot be tracked."

I thought that I had seen Travis write something different. Maybe it was from his book? (fiction)

[Zon]

I concur.

Basically, I could careless if my phone service provider knows where I am. I detest the government knowing because I have about as much trust in government not abusing me or the people about as much as I trust HCI.

[Looking for Diogenes]

If I understand the news reports the Danielle Van Dam accused murderer Westerfield had his movements tracked retroactivelyby police through his cell phone usage, employing a less sophisticated system than described here.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

They locate you now through the closest tower you are receiving from. I don't see what the big deal is..... unless you are some drug runner, what is the problem?

There have been several instances where a stranded motorist was located by the police because of a cell signal.... a woman in a blizzard in North Dakota comes to mind.

[Free the USA]

The they that concerned me was our own government.

[AlGone2001]

If you had read the article, you wouldn't need to ask this?

ilikebugenu

disruptor  since March 1st, 2002

[lmr]

Everyone knows that Conservatives are Paranoid of the Bogey Man, especially the really right wing ones /SARCASM