Autoweek in their 1/31 issue has a brief piece on this in their What’s New column (they’ve still got last week’s issue on the web site though hopefully there will be a link soon). Basically they’re trying this out in the Baltimore area to predict traffic problems by tracking a particular phone and seeing how fast it is moving.
“The company swears that it does not connect the cell phone with the identity of it’s owner and doesn’t listen to calls”
I’m assuming that it could though (am I right about this ?) and because it is a relatively inexpensive system to track traffic problems that its’ use could become widespread.
My question is could this technology become an easy way for police departments to track and listen in on criminals using individual cell phones of the criminals ?
Yes, if this company wanted to, they could easily intercept into to your calls. Then again, so can anyone else. Your cell phone is basically a small radio station in itself, and anything it sends out is free game for all. When you speak into your cell phone, it broadcasts your message in all directions, and hopes for it to be picked up by a station, which will then forward your message through wire or wireless medium. This is naturally a big privacy concern, so some (or all?) cell phones will encrypt your message before dumping into the air. People can still intercept your message, but they wouldn’t be able to understand its contents unless they break the encryption.
The real innovation to the tracking system you mentioned is that it is capable of locating your cell phone by listening for it from one point, instead of two or more. With older technology, the only way your cell phone’s location can be pin pointed is to listen to the signal it emites from two or more locations, preferably three.
So, the answer to your final question is yes, police will have an easier time if they do employ this techonology, but not by much. They still face the problem of breaking your cell phone’s encryption, and the only difference is in the complexity of the operation to track down your location.
By reducing the complexity of tracking, forget the interception of voice, couldn’t this be a huge step forward ? The cops give a certain number to the company and that cell phone’s location data is recorded while in use. A file could be kept of where and when it was in use, how fast and the exact itinerary of the owner (while in use of course). Then the police could retrieve that file to see if that person was in the area of a reported crime. You could also find a suspects favored areas or where they are staying in less time and with less manpower.
Also in theory couldn’t you issue speeding tickets based on how fast your cell phone was traveling (Honestly your Honor, I was only doing 55 even though my phone was doing 75) ?
*funneefarmer: By reducing the complexity of tracking, forget the interception of voice, couldn’t this be a huge step forward ? The cops give a certain number to the company and that cell phone’s location data is recorded while in use. A file could be kept of where and when it was in use, how fast and the exact itinerary of the owner (while in use of course). Then the police could retrieve that file to see if that person was in the area of a reported crime. You could also find a suspects favored areas or where they are staying in less time and with less manpower.
Also in theory couldn’t you issue speeding tickets based on how fast your cell phone was traveling (Honestly your Honor, I was only doing 55 even though my phone was doing 75) ?*
Can you say Big Brother? :eek: :eek: :eek:
Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You’ll find it an effective combination.
With the way cell phone systems are working now, your service provider is already keeping records on each of your calls, just as your local telephone company is too. Of course, current tracking technology is not as sophisticated, and you will only be pinpointed to a certain calling zone, which is usually an area a couple square miles across I believe. It’s true that with this new development, the government or [insert your favorite conspiracy group] could easily keep track of your calling locations and determine the places you have visited. The only way I can alleviate your concern is to assure you that there are strict laws that prohibit such actions without due process of law. You cellular service provider is not going to reveal their records unless they get a court order. Sure you think, they’re all out to get you right? Well, how many wiretaps do you think law enforcement agencies conduct in the US each year? 10,000? 5,000? The answer is just over 1,200 for 1998. Check out this link if you don’t believe me…
I’m not worried about Big Brother, I’m just surprised that the company isn’t pushing this aspect as a selling point. Granted some of its’ uses are still not fully realized but they are after all selling it to local governments as traffic monitors. Why wouldn’t you also try to sell it’s full potential ?
Um, I’m more paranoid that the average Bear, and here’s my two pennies. You don’t want to be tracked by your E-Z Pass? Tuck it into it’s special shielded bag,and pay cash. You dont want to be tracked by your cellular phone use? Pull over and use a rest stop pay phone.
We enjoy a level of technological sophistication unimagined even 30 years ago. ( I know…don’t quote H.G. Wells to me, allow me my generalizations here ). With that comes the ability to track that technology. Personally, Ahh Jes Luv Mah Cel Phone. I get 1600 minutes for $ 159.00, no long distance, no roaming. And, I use it all the time. Call all over the damned country. Do I care if someone can track me? Please. They wanna track speeders? Get people to agree to have GPS trackers installed in the firewalls of their car for a year. They’d speed anyway, and they can be located within 100 yards. THAT Might yield accurate data.
But, as to the OP? It’s the price we pay for the toys we love. Why whine?
Cartooniverse
p.s. Locating ,and “Cloning”- or, listening in, are two different issues. The latter is contemptible, and illegal. The former is the price we pay.
If you want to kiss the sky, you’d better learn how to kneel.
