Starting Jan 1st, 2006 every new cell phone act must have GPS. homeland security.
 

in us...

as part of a new homeland security law passed last year starting jan 1st, 2006 every new cell phone activated must have GPS capabilities built in so that the feds can "monitor" for terrorist activity.

verizon and all other cell phone companies will NOT activate a non-gps phone.

i didn't get a chance to look at the actual law, but i found this shit by accident when looking for a cell phone on ebay. most of the bulk cell phone sellers now have a disclaimer saying that if you don't activate this non-gps phone before jan 06, it won't get activated.

this got me really upset. imagine the data they can collect from these phones. they can track every cell phone user every minute of their life. this can be used to generate massive stats of people's daily activities. Linked with governments existing tax, etc records this data will probably be sold to large corporations who can put it to good use.

pretty fucked up ehh?

Time to buy a non GPS phone ... right now ... and activate it asap with the longest contract you can find... ;)

just follow the Party's orders and everything will be fine....

honestly, when my contract expires and they try to force me to get this new gps spy bullshit i'll just disconnect the phone. fuck it.

or move to canada.. hehe.

jeesus... I pity the people who still think they live in the land of the free

hehe. 3 responses and all from canada. how hard is it to get a canadian citizenship these days?

Just get a new phone now and activate it dec 31....

the world is gonna end and i am gonna die clenching my non-GPS phone till the end!!!!!!!!!!!

big brother is watching

Hmmm, first I've heard of this... Doesn't surprise me much though.... Oh well... I'm already in handcuffs for the next 2 years with my plan lol

whoa, are you serious???

Wait Wait.. So why would it bother you that you have to have a GPS phone? Fucking ay, I personally think it's cool that GPS will now be stanard! But hey, I'm not a terrorist nor am I hiding in a basement with a tinfoil hat.

What about the ECHELON Surveillance Network:
http://fly.hiwaay.net/~pspoole/echelon.html

Is this for real? If so, the government is probably allready listening to some of your phone calls.

also they can already know find out where you are when you use your cell.

Got a link to the news story or the new law? Thanks. :thumbsup

reason we lose our freedoms so easily is because of people like you.

this GPS feature is not for entertainment or personal use. it's designed so that the government can keep you in check. don't think you'll be getting free GPS tracking and navigation services with your cell phone plan. the only reason cell phone providers are doing this is becase they have to.

think of it as being FORCED to have a GPS system designed to track you wherever you go. its like wearing one of those fucking ankle trackers.

while i love technology and love the idea of having a GPS enabled phone, i can't stand the fact that we're losing our freedom and that our privacy is being violated.

But it's not an ankle tracker. It's just for phones. There is a big difference from yourself and your phone having gps. This is nothing like them putting chips into the back of your spine to trace you 24/7 so take a chill pill.

And they already are able to listen in on calls, and trace cells. It doesn't change anything cept it just gets a little easier for them to do it.

I think you are just paranoid? I mean, can you explain what freedom it is exactly that they are taking away?

Good idea , they should also put cameras in our showers and in our cars to protect us from terrorists.. that way we can be free. , hell why stop there lets just wire the feds into our retina's so they can keep an eye on us :winkwink:

that technology is outdated. it's based on a law passed in 01 that forced cell phone providers to keep better track of where calls are coming from for the purpose of providing better emergency service. with triangulation they'll know where you are to within a few hundred feet. with GPS to within 5-10 feet.

imagine this. combine the data in the cell phone record for CustomerX. customerX is 29 years old. he works at X. he eats at Y, he hangs out with phoneCustomer Z, he goes out on Friday to C, his ride from home takes R and on and on. this data can be sold at astronomical prices because it can be used to create/push new products and services.

even the journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step.

Being able to track a phone is far from cams in showers and cars. Get a grip with reality man.

You need a tin foil hat as well? btw: They just got another copy of Gattaca and 1984 in at the video store. Just letting ya know!

am i paranoid? i'm usually the last person to give a fuck. however, in this situation i got upset.

it IS like putting a fucking tracker in your spine because if you want to OWN a cellphone you HAVE TO HAVE a gps built into it. you have no choice. that's the problem. Freedom is when you have a choice. this year I can have a nextel phone with a GPS or a regular phone without it. next year the government made up my mind for me. and how they chose to use the information collected from 100,000,000 phones is up to them... OK???

Forgot to add.. SEE SIG.. Thanks :thumbsup

jesusland's government is just insane.

hmm i wonder what reality you live in .. my cell isn't too far from my shower or my car so i dont see your point ??

wouldn't a camera and gps in our cars protect us from terrorists in the same way a gps in a cell phone would ?? or am i missing something ?

So you're saying everyone is entitled to a cell phone no matter what. And since we are forced to have them. We get to choose what features they have. In that case, I feel the same way about cars. And would like minE with rockets and a dvd player. Because I have a choice.. OK?????

Car I suppose. I was referring to the shower one. And come on man.. gps on phone = cam in shower? Dude.. I mean really.. Come on..

potter. i've wasted my time on you. you're an idiot. and it's such a shame because we're from the same hood.

welcome to ignore.. dumbassss

I can respect that, as you have the freedom to have your own opinion. Damn if those fuckers put gps into the ignore feature though!

I think your missing the point , if they make gps "mandatory" its already implying they are using/tracking your cameras on the phone..

The point of the example was that there are many things the feds could do to "protect" us from ourselves , but at some point its invading our privacy.. where do you draw the line ?

this will have zero to do with terrorists and everything to do with tracking the american people.

exactly. the data collected from these phones is behind belief. can't wait to see it in action actually.

Right Right. I understand the "invading our privacy" issue. I just don't see them making it easier to track cell phones invading anyone's privacy. Your privacy of what, being able to hide from the government? Please, you think they can't find joe schmoe anytime they want already? Come on, give em a bit more credit.

Now I agree completely that we are seeing alot of freedoms being taken away under the current administration. I voted for kerry and live in a blue state (Illinois). So don't think I'm trying to defend Bush, the administration, and all that. I hate em with a passion. Hell, in my sig I have a banner for free speech, and to help out a fellow webmaster who has been charged under the anti-porn laws.

All I'm saying is people getting rowdy about the government calling for mandatory gps in cells is a bit paranoid.

Sorry we are full up :winkwink:

it makes it cheaper and easier for the gov to track you so instead of just tracking 100000 people that they need to they can track 1000000000 people

Oh and check the Constitution. No where does it state that the "powers that be" do not have the right to track your every move. This would only invade one's complete anonymity from the government, and it is not set in stone that you have that right as a citizen.

Or can someone point out where I'm wrong? It's been awhile since I read the constitution.

Yup :thumbsup