Carrier sales of phone-location data is illegal, FCC plans punishment

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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