UK surveillance “worse than 1984” says new UN privacy chief

Re:UK surveillance “worse than 1984” says new UN privacy chief by collyw on Tuesday August 25, 2015 @10:31AM (#10116724)

You do have a gps enabled tracking device with two cameras and a microphone in your pocket though.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:UK surveillance “worse than 1984” says new UN privacy chief by toxican on Tuesday August 25, 2015 @11:34AM (#10117187)

Purchased by myself with permissions to use those features toggled on/off for various apps. In the book, you didn't have a choice. And if I tell the government to go fuck off, I'm not going to have my door busted in and be taken off to some prison.

Not to mention that the phones aren't always listening, always recording, and always reporting my location any way. I they were, my battery would last 3 hours tops.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:UK surveillance “worse than 1984” says new UN privacy chief by nly on Tuesday August 25, 2015 @12:12PM (#10117464)

Your phone is always reporting its position. Someone, somewhere has the capability to type your cell phone number or IMEI in to a console and find out what tower you're currently connected to. Furthermore it only takes 3 towers to trilaterate your location, and someone, somewhere has telemetry from all the towers in your neighbourhood at their fingertips.

Hell, failing that, it's been demonstrated publicly that anybody can simply purchase access to SS7 and query this sort of information to locate you, in real time, from the other side of the globe, without your knowledge. If you post your cell phone number online, many people can find you right now.

As for it not always recording, true, but you have no idea when and if it is enabled. The SIM and baseband processor are black boxes capable of running unfettered by iOS and Android. Your app preferences are simply irrelevant, and you cannot easily see or inspect the traffic going over the cellular network.

Oh, and you likely can't remove your battery.

Cell phones are an Orwellian wet dream. If you're ever doing anything you never want anyone to ever know about, whether it's illegal or just deeply private, do not take your cell phone with you.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:UK surveillance “worse than 1984” says new UN privacy chief by rdancer on Tuesday August 25, 2015 @09:07PM (#10120428)

... and make sure there are no other cellphones in the vicinity

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:UK surveillance “worse than 1984” says new UN privacy chief by belenos46 on Tuesday August 25, 2015 @11:58AM (#10117376)

>phones aren't always listening, always recording, and always reporting my location

But sometimes they are![0]

[0] http://www.cnet.com/news/fbi-taps-cell-phone-mic-as-eavesdro...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:UK surveillance “worse than 1984” says new UN privacy chief by jacquesm on Tuesday August 25, 2015 @12:12PM (#10117466)

> Purchased by myself with permissions to use those features toggled on/off for various apps.

You have to love the beauty of such a scheme.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:UK surveillance “worse than 1984” says new UN privacy chief by collyw on Tuesday August 25, 2015 @12:10PM (#10117447)

And you believe it when it says its not sending data to Google / Apple / MS?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:UK surveillance “worse than 1984” says new UN privacy chief by dredmorbius on Tuesday August 25, 2015 @02:17PM (#10118501)

And what of those around you?

[ Parent | on HN ]