this post was submitted on 14 Jun 2025
453 points (96.9% liked)

Technology

71396 readers
4473 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related news or articles.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots


founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Shared here for public benefit.

Before going to a protest, demonstrators or observers should note that their cellphones may subject them to surveillance tactics by law enforcement. If your cellphone is on and unsecured, your location can be tracked and your unencrypted communications, such as SMS, may be intercepted. Additionally, police may retrieve your messages and the content of your phone if they take custody of your phone, or later by warrant or subpoena.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] TaterTurnipTulip@lemmy.world 8 points 4 hours ago

Your car's GPS is also tracking your movements. If you have a newer car then your phone is only part of the problem.

[–] Lanske@lemmy.world 17 points 5 hours ago (3 children)
[–] surph_ninja@lemmy.world 1 points 7 minutes ago* (last edited 7 minutes ago)

Also be aware that the Georgia attorney general has declared that not bringing your phone to a protest will be considered criminal intent. They’re now trying to punish people for not having their tracking devices with them.

https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/02/12/georgia-ag-claims-not-having-a-phone-makes-you-a-criminal/

[–] tehn00bi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago

Go old school and bring cameras instead.

[–] Redredme@lemmy.world 14 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

If your phone is powered your location can be tracked. Secured or not: your location can always be tracked.

The rest is doubtful, always assume law enforcement has access at will.

Just don't bring it.

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 5 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

doesn't have to be powered on.

unless you can remove the battery, it should stay at home.

[–] bigpEE@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Source? EFF says airplane mode is sufficient per the article

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 4 points 59 minutes ago (2 children)

so you're going yo trust the government funded org to tell you how to not be tracked by the government?

better yet, you're going to trust the company that actively works with the government under national defense that wants to track you to protect national defense?

no thanks. I'd rather be safe than detained.

[–] bigpEE@lemmy.world 1 points 47 minutes ago (1 children)

Until I see a shred of evidence that airplane mode doesn't disable the radios, yes, I'm going to trust the manufacturers, the EFF, and my background in EE

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 2 points 23 minutes ago

cool. you do you then.

I'll keep doing whatever I need to ensure my freedom by not trusting government or corporate guidelines.

[–] blockheadjt@sh.itjust.works 15 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Set your phone on top of a Roomba that has scheduled cleaning throughout the day.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Buske@lemmy.world 18 points 11 hours ago

YOU DONT BRING IT.

[–] Deflated0ne@lemmy.world 12 points 11 hours ago

By leaving it at home.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 4 points 9 hours ago

Buy a Burner.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 40 points 16 hours ago (3 children)

Leave it at home for a protest if you care about being tracked.

Pretty much all cell phones can be tracked even when turned off.

[–] bigpEE@lemmy.world 0 points 1 hour ago

Source? EFF says airplane mode is sufficient per the article

[–] HappyRedditRefugee@lemm.ee 1 points 2 hours ago

Could you not wrap it in thin foil to make a faraday cage? If done well it should prevent any signals for going in or out.

puts on thin foil hat

[–] throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works 4 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (2 children)

Even with a libre OS and all radios turned off? (So to use the phone as a camera and offline navigation)

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 3 points 3 hours ago

yes, even with all the foss software and radios turned off.

it will still ping radio towers. the only exclusion are phones with physical switches for disabling hardware.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 3 points 9 hours ago

I feel like it could still get damaged or used as evidence in court if you get caught up in a crackdown.

[–] wanderwisley@lemm.ee 55 points 23 hours ago (6 children)

Turn it off and leave it at home.

[–] NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 38 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (8 children)

Leave it on at home.

"Your honor, as you can see from my mobile device location history, I never even left my house that day."

Not that that'll actually work or that they'll care, but still...

[–] biggerbogboy@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 hours ago

Even better, have your tv on the whole time, so if the tv sends telemetry data that's also linked to the phone, it'll show you were at home the whole time.

load more comments (7 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›