Go Ahead, Just Try to Disappear
Monty Solomon
Global positioning technology on mobile phones and other devices can
track errant workers, teens or even pets. The price is privacy.
By David Colker
Times Staff Writer
As her daughter enjoyed a weekend road trip, Donna Butler sat back
home 120 miles away at her personal computer and watched a blue dot
tick slowly across the screen.
But not slowly enough.
"They were going 85 on the interstate where the speed limit is 70,"
said Butler, who interrupted 17-year-old Danielle's getaway to let her
know, " 'I will personally come up there and drive you home.' "
It would have been easy to find her. Whenever Danielle is away from
her central Florida home, her mobile phone uses a global positioning
system to transmit her precise location, which her mother can track
online.
Developed originally as a military tool, GPS is used widely by
drivers, hikers and boaters to figure out where they are. A new
generation of relatively cheap GPS-equipped devices can tell others
too -- allowing people for the first time to keep constant tabs on
their rebellious teens, wandering spouses or loafing employees.
That prospect comforts mothers like Butler, but it concerns some who
see ever more powerful and invasive technology eroding a sense of
personal privacy.
Tony P.
> COLUMN ONE
> But not slowly enough.
> http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gps27dec27.story
Ah, but most phones have the capability to shut the GPS transmissions
off to all but 911 operators. I know that's the situation on my
Audiovox phone.
Justin Time
their manual knows that. But the story wasn't written to inform, it
was written to alarm and cause a backlash against "Big Brother" and
their invasion of *MY* privacy, which is absolute BS, but that doesn't
look so good in print.
Rodgers
Tony P.
says:
Sort of how the rights management to be built into new consumer
electronics only have to be so good as to defeat the average end user
from overcoming them.
So in other words those of us who aren't afraid of the guts of
electronic gear, have our amateur and general radio licenses and a
pretty good knowledge of digital electronics won't have any problem
defeating it.
I can't wait!