Privacy advocates gained access to a powerful tool bought by U.S. law enforcement agencies that can track smartphone locations around the world. Abortion clinics, places of worship, and individual people can all be monitored without a warrant.

Privacy advocates got access to Locate X, a phone tracking tool which multiple U.S. agencies have bought access to, and showed me and other journalists exactly what it was capable of. Tracking a phone from one state to another to an abortion clinic. Multiple places of worship. A school. Following a likely juror to a residence. And all of this tracking is possible without a warrant, and instead just a few clicks of a mouse.

  • jagged_circleEnglish
    103·
    5 hours ago

    Then how you gonna take a selfie in the bed?

    Seriously tho, people need phones for everything, including their calendar and map and communication with their partner.

    Not bringing a phone isn’t an option

    • PriorityMotif@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      1 hour ago

      Believe it or not, digital cameras exist as standalone devices.

      You can also buy an rf blocking bag for your phone.

    • WrenFeathers@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      2 hours ago

      I can assure you that people don’t need instant access to calendars and maps. Smart phones are a convenience, not a necessity.

      (Source - lived through the 80’s. Still alive to tell the tale)

    • basmati@lemmus.orgEnglish
      93·
      4 hours ago

      There are alternatives to all of that. If you’re going to do potentially illegal acts, and you don’t want to rot in jail for the next however many decades until a scotus exists to set you free, take basic operational security into account and don’t bring the corporate tracking device that cops can freely tap into.

      • jagged_circleEnglish
        5·
        3 hours ago

        Yes. And we need laws that provide this protection to everyone by default.

        • basmati@lemmus.orgEnglish
          13·
          3 hours ago

          That’s cute but to get those laws you have to vote third party and hope they don’t get killed or bribed before passing said law. I don’t see that happening until long after the US collapses, so in the meantime it makes more sense to understand how not to be a victim to a fascist government.

    • WindyRebel@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      4 hours ago

      Mapquest is still around, so that solves one problem. The rest can be alleviated by communicating in person with your partner and aligning on a plan to not get tracked (like partner driving you and leaving their phone at home).

      In the absence of that help, friends or family you trust. A cab? The clinic probably has a phone to hail a cab when you’re there.

      Disclaimer: I’m just providing work arounds, I’m not saying they’re ideal.