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Inside the U.S. Government-Bought Tool That Can Track Phones at Abortion Clinics (www.404media.co)

submitted 4 weeks ago by otter@lemmy.ca to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Privacy advocates got access to Locate X, a phone tracking tool which multiple U.S. agencies have bought access to, and showed me and other journalists exactly what it was capable of. Tracking a phone from one state to another to an abortion clinic. Multiple places of worship. A school. Following a likely juror to a residence. And all of this tracking is possible without a warrant, and instead just a few clicks of a mouse.

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[–] ech@lemm.ee 14 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

I didn't read the article, but wouldn't the site see the phone as soon as it's taken out of the bag? Unless the plan is to leave the phone in the bag the whole time, at which point it seems easier to just leave it behind.

[–] jewbacca117@lemmy.world 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Pretty much. Can't see the rest of the article, but most likely it's just tower data, which only gives a general location. But as soon as you pull your phone out and get messages you would be traceable. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a phone

[–] ITGuyLevi@programming.dev 3 points 4 weeks ago

I'll admit I didn't open the article, as far as I'm aware the best way to sidestep silly requirements like warrants is to just purchase data intended for advertising. Databrokers really have an amazing wealth of info ready to be tapped into, all you gotta do is pay.