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A comment on Carrier sales of phone-location data is illegal, FCC plans punishment. Parent comment

Re:Carrier sales of phone-location data is illegal, FCC plan... by tomc1985 on Friday January 31, 2020 @06:14PM (#22206951)
Do you want the ambulance/police car dispatched for you as soon as the operator determines there is a problem, or wait for them to receive your location by you telling them? What about all the people that can't for some reason?

It's the only reason in my mind the government should have access to that info, and it's a damn good one

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Re:Carrier sales of phone-location data is illegal, FCC plan... by anonymousiam on Friday January 31, 2020 @06:18PM (#22206987)
You are referring to the E911 location data that is provided in real-time to emergency responders. AFAIK everyone is okay with that. I was referring to archival records of all telephone use (calls, text, web).
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Re:Carrier sales of phone-location data is illegal, FCC plan... by ta999999171 on Friday January 31, 2020 @07:59PM (#22207700)
I'll wait.

Where's the opt-out button on my device to ensure my 4th Amendment right is exercised?

Oh, right. It's forced. "Freedom".

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Re:Carrier sales of phone-location data is illegal, FCC plan... by tomc1985 on Friday January 31, 2020 @08:06PM (#22207739)
E911 is one of those rare, valid exceptions to the bill of rights. Do you think people should be able to falsely yell "Fire!" in a crowded movie theater too?

Plus, it's probably arguable as to whether or not your cell providers' location data on you constitutes a "search" or not. Unless E911 works by transmitting your devices' GPS readings from its own hardware to authorities, but even then I am not sure since they are doing so as a middleman. IANAL

Also, you might wait but I'm not sure that most folk in distress would agree with you.

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Re:Carrier sales of phone-location data is illegal, FCC plan... by ammar2 on Saturday February 01, 2020 @02:00AM (#22209167)
> Unless E911 works by transmitting your devices' GPS readings from its own hardware to authorities

That's exactly how it works:

> When the cellular phone detects that the user is placing an emergency call, it begins to transmit its location to a secure server, from which the [Public Safety Answering Point] can retrieve it. Cellphone manufacturers may program the phone to automatically enable GPS functionality (if disabled) when an emergency call is placed, so that it may transmit its location.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_9-1-1#Wireless_transm...

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