Pages


Thursday, October 05, 2023

Red Alert for Android Users: Google Gives Police Your Identification If Police Say You Were Near a Crime

Back in the day, cops had to put physical “bugs” (recording devices) in criminals’ houses and cars. 

Now, they just use your phone, especially if you’re on Android. 

No worries, even if you’re using Apple, you probably have apps installed that can be used to listen to you and track you.
-WiscoDave

17 comments:

  1. Don't worry too much.
    Soon someone will figure out using phone data that when you drive from point A to point B faster than the speed limit allows, you'll automagically be deducted a lot of money from your "electronic money only" government-only bank account.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't worry much, either.
      Put the phone in a Farady (aluminum) Bag, and don't take it out for awhile after driving to the destination. The time will work itself out. Just like OTR truckers used log books as 'lie books', and recording times for trips longer than they actually took.

      "The more they overtake the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain."
      ~ 'Scotty' (James Montgomery Doohan, a WWII veteran), "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock".

      Delete
    2. I think 'they' already do this. Remember, a few years back, the cops were buying info from a 3rd party about a person of interest? The perp agreed to the collection of info. The 3rd party had the right to 'use' it. So it did an end run around warrants and Miranda?

      Remember all those games you signed of the End User Agreement? Howz about the part where they could poll the status of you phone and it's location?

      Google already collects info about wireless AP's you go near(not necessarily connect to) so they know who's near who.

      How do you think they populate traffic conditions in Goog Maps?

      Sorry for the long post.

      The 3rd party apps likely have willing customers with insurance companies, about who respects speed limits and stop signs, etc. and who doesn't.

      Delete
    3. And new cars are just as bad.

      Delete
  2. I don't have a cellphone, so my 1963 rotary wall phone's location never moves, but I suppose the phone company could wire tap my land line and hand my 20 or so heaving breathing calls over to the FBI

    ReplyDelete
  3. That's why whenever I'm on the road I put phone in "Airport Mode".

    No signal in, no signal out.

    I didn't even get that test alert Tuesday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The phone still communicates with cell towers when in airplane mode.
      Even when it is turned off, it still does it.
      We mere mortals can‘t push a button to make them stop spying…

      Delete
    2. Actually it doesn't. FAA too worried about interference:

      https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workspace-ONE-UEM/services/VMware-Workspace-ONE-SDK-for-iOS-(Swift)/GUID-AWT-GEOFENCE.html

      Delete
    3. I believe it still receives and remembers, though. Think AP's and GPS.

      Delete
  4. It's my understanding that simply turning location off stops the reporting of location data to google. There may be other apps that report it, but if it's on AT ALL, it's being reported and recorded. You can even log in to your google account and look at your location history and see everywhere you've been.

    No idea how much of that is reported and recorded behind you back ANYWAY, though. Just that it's not recorded in your google account if you turn off location. (By necessity, the phone reports to local cell phone towers, giving a vague location based on which "cell" your cellphone reports in. That's required in order for the network to route calls to your phone, and there's no way to turn that off without turning off your ability to receive calls. I don't know how thoroughly that's recorded. It's not reported to google, though. That information is at the cellphone network level, and is true for ALL cell phones of any type, brand, or function. Including flip phones.)

    Keep in mind that putting it in a faraday cage is harder than you'd think. (I.E. fewer of them work than they advertise "work") And if you forget to "turn on airplane mode" which turns off all its radios, it'll drain the battery really fast, as your phone searches for service constantly. I'd personally rather count on airplane mode doing what it's required by law to do, and turning off all radios. No chance of accidentally draining your battery, and no extra accessory to buy or keep track of.

    John G.

    ReplyDelete
  5. They still make phones where you can pull the battery. Dead as a door nail. Not your fancy eye-phone but...
    Steve S6

    ReplyDelete
  6. I usually turn my phone off at night so that it doesn't disturb my sleep. A week or two ago, I forgot. When I picked my phone up the next morning, there was a little green dot showing up near the top of screen. Investigating, I found that the green dot indicates an app in use that wasn't turned on by the user. When I checked, it was the microphone that was in use.

    Nemo

    ReplyDelete
  7. I turned off location services on the day the lockdowns started in 2020. That doesn't help with cell tower tracking though, and telcos gladly share information, no warrant required.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Everyone should be aware that their phones "listen" to them all the time. How many times have we been sitting around, driving down the road or whatever having a normal conversation with a friend(s) we are with and later adds or posts related to those topics just coincidentally appear on your phone OR even worse, your computer?!?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's multiple yootoob vids about this, and its true. Ditto Alexa and the other hellspawn. Google has figured out which pieces of equipment are associated so it can spread the adverts, er, love around.

      Delete

All comments are moderated due to spam, drunks and trolls.
Keep 'em civil, coherent, short, and on topic.