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US cell carriers are selling access to your real-time phone location data


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2018 May 16, 7:26am   2,261 views  8 comments

by Patrick   ➕follow (55)   💰tip   ignore  

https://www.zdnet.com/article/us-cell-carriers-selling-access-to-real-time-location-data/

Four of the largest cell giants in the US are selling your real-time location data to a company that you've probably never heard about before.

In case you missed it, a senator last week sent a letter demanding the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigate why Securus, a prison technology company, can track any phone "within seconds" by using data obtained from the country's largest cell giants, including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint, through an intermediary, LocationSmart.

Real-time location data was accessible by police under "the legal equivalent of a pinky promise," said a senator.

The story blew up because a former police sheriff snooped on phone location data without a warrant, according The New York Times. The sheriff has pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful surveillance.

Comments 1 - 8 of 8        Search these comments

1   FNWGMOBDVZXDNW   2018 May 16, 8:37am  

Any criminal would have to be an idiot to use a phone tied to their name. That goes for any bozo who is just pulling off a single crime rather than a career criminal. Fortunately for cops, there are many bozos.
As for the various uses mentioned in the article, the carriers ought to be responsible for how 3rd parties use their data. They ought to also offer a different price for users who want their location or other information never to be sold to 3rd parties.
2   NuttBoxer   2018 May 16, 11:09am  

FNWGMOBDVZXDNW says
Any criminal would have to be an idiot to use a phone tied to their name.


There's no mention of someone needing to be a criminal to have their location data collected. Hence the lawsuit.
3   NuttBoxer   2018 May 16, 11:11am  

Patrick says
US cell carriers are selling access to your real-time phone location data


We've known for years our location data was being collected. If you voluntarily wear your ankle bracelet in the world largest prison country, you deserve what comes next.
5   Strategist   2018 May 20, 9:17am  

Yesterday I had to call AAA. They knew exactly what street I was on. I had to give them permission to locate me first.
Technology is awesome. You can always know where your car is, where your kids are, and which hotel your spouse is spending those mysterious 2 hours in.
6   curious2   2018 May 20, 1:29pm  

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says
I still chuckle when my T-Mobile account announces, "Welcome Mustafa!" after I log in.


I thought your name would be Commander AF, or Lord and Savior AF, or some similar appellation.
7   everything   2018 May 20, 4:47pm  

I gave up and just leave the tracking on, I'm at work, home, or my garden most of the time. Once in a while I do garage sales which I'm sure makes for interesting data. My fitbit app is open too, it's ideal if anyone wants to break into my apartment and rob me, in which I say go for it, all I own is junk.
8   NuttBoxer   2018 May 21, 12:00pm  

everything says
I gave up and just leave the tracking on, I'm at work, home, or my garden most of the time. Once in a while I do garage sales which I'm sure makes for interesting data. My fitbit app is open too, it's ideal if anyone wants to break into my apartment and rob me, in which I say go for it, all I own is junk.


How would you feel about the government installing cameras in your home? Oh wait, the NSA already did that. But I guess there's nothing interesting you do in your bedroom or bathroom you'd care about them viewing or archiving.

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