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Re:Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re ... by necessity on Thursday December 01, 2016 @09:14PM (#13085417)
PrivacyGuard and Orwall prevent applications from using the internet/GPS without your express authorization. Anyway if you want absolute privacy toss your smartphone in the trash can, cancel your contract with your ISP, commit social suicide and go live off the grid.
Re:Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re ... by uabstraction on Thursday December 01, 2016 @10:21PM (#13085717)
Imagine if the Founding Fathers decided to forgo western civilization and go live in the woods as nomadic hunter gatherers instead of standing up to British oppression... Or if all the blacks just listened to Marcus Garvey and went back to Africa instead of participating in the American Civil Rights Movement. This is basically what you're suggesting.

We have the technological means to ensure reasonable levels of privacy. There's no excuse for lemon technology that exposes every intimate detail of our lives.

Re:Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re ... by necessity on Thursday December 01, 2016 @10:52PM (#13085842)
... except Uber, Google, carriers, etc, are not oppressive.
Re:Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re ... by cowpig on Friday December 02, 2016 @01:06AM (#13086437)
The fact that nobody's used a nuclear weapon offensively since WWII doesn't mean nuclear proliferation is fine.

Similarly, the proliferation of extremely powerful information is obviously dangerous, regardless of whether it is causing active harm currently.

Re:Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re ... by coolstorydude89 on Friday December 02, 2016 @09:10AM (#13088630)
I am already slowly inching toward this, I removed Internet access from my home, and don't use any smartphone applications at all.

I have not seen any adverse effect on my life/productivity from doing this, people overestimate the amount that they actually need these services. In reality they mostly amount to useless appendages. Especially in an era with free wifi nearly everywhere, being on grid/off grid is as simple as whipping a laptop out of my bag and turning it on.

Persistent connectivity is not a need.