# Feds Plan To Track our every move electronically. No, I'm not medicated. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 8, 2004, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181 "2004-10-08T11:54:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/1 "2004-10-08T11:54:39Z")
I’m rather worried by this– [http://www.charlotte.creativeloafing.com/2004-09-29/news\_cover.html](http://www.charlotte.creativeloafing.com/2004-09-29/news_cover.html) The US Department of Transportation is mandating that all vehicles sold in this country be equipped with tracking gear. The information gathered will be provided to law enforcemment, Homeland Security, and sold to privaqte businesses. What the HELL: happened to our rights? To our America? :eek: :smack: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/2 "2004-10-08T12:59:07Z")
I dismissed this on another forum as it was reported by the World News Daily. Can someone confirm the source? I have a huge problem with simple EDR systems hidden in cars these days. Something like this would be insane. I’d be ripping out every electronic componet I had to get rid of this. I hope it’s just some tinfoil quackery and not serious. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/3 "2004-10-08T13:04:05Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > What the HELL: happened to our rights? > To our America? :eek: :smack: :mad: “If you’ve done nothing wrong, then you have nothing to worry about.” ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/4 "2004-10-08T13:46:45Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > “If you’ve done nothing wrong, then you have nothing to worry about.” What’s truely scarey is that many people actually use this as a reason why EDRs (personal vehicle black boxes) aren’t a big deal. I guess soon we should allow unlawful searches as well. It seems to fit with this saying. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/5 "2004-10-08T14:04:19Z")
> [@badmana](#): > > I guess soon we should allow unlawful searches as well. It seems to fit with this saying. One search a day keeps the bad guys at bay. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/6 "2004-10-08T14:06:45Z")
Couple this with the new California mandate that no longer excludes older cars from having to pass the new smog requirements, and you get a disturbing pattern. Mehtinks there will be a thriving trade in after-market “fixes” for these boxes! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/7 "2004-10-08T15:00:48Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > “If you’ve done nothing wrong, then you have nothing to worry about.” Yeah, that’s what the Nazi’s said too. Oops, did I invoke Godwin too early. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/8 "2004-10-08T15:03:08Z")
Once the technology to do this was available some years ago, the eventual implementation became inevitable. The government just cannot resist that level of control over the population. Of course this will be sold to the public in the name of safety, and the public will willingly accept it. Look at the picture of that Neil Schuster guy, the one who’s so passionate about saving lives (he LOVES humanity that much!) that he feels the loss of freedom is worth it. That mug just radiates evil, doesn’t it? Even children and dogs can probably sense it, but the voting public won’t. Any predictions as to the year non-transmitting cars will be outlawed? They’ll allow them for a time, say 5 years after the changeover, and then they’ll ban them in the name of safety. Time to move, but where to? Any liberaltarians out there forming their own desert island state? ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/9 "2004-10-08T15:08:01Z")
I couldn’t find anything on Snopes about it,which of course might just mean that I don’t have sharply honed searching talents. If it is indeed true,It just makes me more ashamed of Americans who are willing to give up their rights to be “safe”,and firstly,of course, the monsters who want to have access to all information about every human everywhere,to use to control their lives. Safety without any choices? Too much like prison for me. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/10 "2004-10-08T15:18:53Z")
Meh. It sounds like alarmist bullshit to me. Sure, it’s technologically feasible, to a point; but so is signal jamming–not to put too fine a point on it. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/11 "2004-10-08T15:29:56Z")
The British government has definitely been discussing this. It’s been in the mainstream press over the past few months. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/12 "2004-10-08T15:37:25Z")
> [@masonite](#): > > Once the technology to do this was available some years ago, the eventual implementation became inevitable. The government just cannot resist that level of control over the population. Of course this will be sold to the public in the name of safety, and the public will willingly accept it. I won’t bother quoting the quote regarding freedom vs safety but I think it really matters now more than ever. I have a personal dislike over EDRs. There is currently no law in place preventing a private citizen from disabling their EDR. The only problem is, the only way to disable the EDR is to disable the airbag and in some states, that is illegal. Also, disabling the EDR _makes you look guilty_ if you happen to crash and the courts find you have purposely disabled it. It’s a nice trick. Tie in the EDR to a vital safety system. If you try to turn one off, the other has to be disabled. There is plenty of speculation online about EDR/tracking (like On Star). Things are just starting to get bad and, like GM did by secretly installing EDRs, most people aren’t even aware of it. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/13 "2004-10-08T15:39:02Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Meh. It sounds like alarmist bullshit to me. Sure, it’s technologically feasible, to a point; but so is signal jamming–not to put too fine a point on it. Isn’t using an active radio/signal “jammer” a federal crime? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/14 "2004-10-08T15:55:05Z")
Who is going to be tracking every car in the country? And why?? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/15 "2004-10-08T15:57:13Z")
> [@badmana](#): > > Isn’t using an active radio/signal “jammer” a federal crime? I don’t know if it’s criminal, but yes, strictly speaking, it’s illegal. Still, you could probably jam your own signal but not anyone else’s and probably get away with it. Not that I’m condoning anything like that, of course. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/16 "2004-10-08T16:03:36Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > I don’t know if it’s criminal, but yes, strictly speaking, it’s illegal. Still, you could probably jam your own signal but not anyone else’s and probably get away with it. Not that I’m condoning anything like that, of course. Well, if it gets to a point of using a radio tracking device, I’d just remove the antenna and/or cover it in a lead box 😃 I’ve been thinking of ways to disable my EDR without screwing my airbags. Too bad no one online has hacked one yet. I’m hoping a simple way to disable EDRs becomes available that doesn’t cause a airbag error light. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/17 "2004-10-08T19:21:51Z")
You know, it might not be quite a joke. [http://www.its.dot.gov/initiatives/initiative9.htm](http://www.its.dot.gov/initiatives/initiative9.htm) I like how they speak about “safety” without mentioning the serious breaches of privacy such a system would entail. They also do not mention the fact that if this was all for “traffic congestion” management they might consider installing cameras and speed sensing road strips instead of wasting billions trying to electronically monitor vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/18 "2004-10-08T21:41:02Z")
> [@badmana](#): > > You know, it might not be quite a joke. > > [Intelligent Transportation Systems](http://www.its.dot.gov/initiatives/initiative9.htm) > > I like how they speak about “safety” without mentioning the serious breaches of privacy such a system would entail. They also do not mention the fact that if this was all for “traffic congestion” management they might consider installing cameras and speed sensing road strips instead of wasting billions trying to electronically monitor vehicles. CCTV traffic cameras are widely present in urban areas already. What I read in the article you’ve linked and on-board data recorders are two different things. Personally, having an independent device present to prove my version of what happened during a crash is fine. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/19 "2004-10-08T22:46:32Z")
[QUOTE=badmana] What’s truely scarey is that many people actually use this as a reason why EDRs (personal vehicle black boxes) aren’t a big deal. [QUOTE] Indeed, that argument has been used in several “privacy issue” threads in these fora. I used to have Lo-Jack in my Porsche. It seemed to me that the police could track it whenever they wanted to, even if I didn’t report it stolen. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181/20 "2004-10-08T23:15:38Z")
[This is not new.](http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,45163,00.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feds-plan-to-track-our-every-move-electronically-no-im-not-medicated/268181.md?page=2)