Yet Another Reason to Turn Off Your Phone

Technological developments to make the Stasi drool!

The Washington Post has an excellent, though disturbing, article on a new practice by our liberty-hating governmental overlords -- the warrantless tracking of an individual's movement and location. How might they do this, you ask? Simple! By abusing, blatantly and cynically, the 911 system built into newer cellular phones!

See, the feds required a while ago that cell phone companies upgrade to a system that tells them, within about 30 feet, where you are in case of a 911 call. It uses GPS so it's not exactly pinpoint. This was generally thought to be good; I wasn't opposed, certainly, to the idea of a paramedic being able to find me if I called 911 from my phone.

Ahh, but that was a younger and less cynical me. Given a few years, they've managed to turn a life-saving innovation into an electronic tracking collar. Which you pay for and can buy cute little faceplates to adorn!

*breaks into a rousing chorus of God Bless America*

So you might want to leave the phone in the car. Or turn it off. Or even turn it off and remove the battery, when not in use, in case it's being sneaky and operating in a low power spy-mode.

Or just vote for a better government next November. I don't know about you people, but I'm a bit tired of living in an Orwellian farce.

Source: The Washington Post