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Bell Labs Demos Cell Phone Location Software
mateub writes "AP via Yahoo reports that Bell Labs will soon announce cell phone software to reveal the owner's location to interested parties. To alleviate privacy concerns they say the software will 'let cell users be as picky as they choose about disclosing their whereabouts' but the article goes on to mention 'the ability for restaurants and other businesses to send a solicitation by text message to a cell phone when its owner wanders within range of those merchants.' Oh, wonderful, cellular popups..."
Sounds like a very good reason for me to remain cell-phone-free.
While some adulterous adults may not want to have their whereabouts known, it is important for kids to be tracked.
Child abduction is a major problem that affects thousands of families every year. This kind of cell phone tracking would go far to help find missing kids before they end up dead and in a ditch.
I have been pwned because my
It would be interesting if there were some software switch that could be triggered by the provider if they were forced to do so by eg FBI or some other form of law enforcment. If you have committed a crime flick of a swtich your position is lit up like a christmas tree. I would prefer telling people where I am rather than having the phone tell them my exact location. Some of the newer technology is interesting and good, But some will bring in a new era of Big Brother. Just my thought..
Only in an emergency need you tell the outsiders where you are. You don't even want to always tell trusted people where you are. That's like being lojacked. Given the ability, how can you say to your wife, "Honey, I don't want you to see my location every minute of every day?"
Unless she's a good, understanding privacy advocate.
For an example of a nice location aware app that doesn't have to tell the network where you are, check out this blog entry about The Big Yellow Button
Another thought, what about cell phone companies using the phone location service to send bill collectors?
Fight Spammers!
enabling users to specify what location information is shared, when, with whom, how and under what circumstances
They told us that navigation system is for navigation. And then, its tracking the cars, speeding tickets.
They told us cookies is just to make the stateless HTTP protocol have some states. And then, its Double Click and all the tracking.
They told us at the grocery store that the card will be used to get discounts. And then, you start getting those annoying mail related to products you bought.
Hello marketing fellas out there, PLEASE stop. Consumer is getting upset.
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If I get spammed by someone identifiable because I happen to be in their vicinity, I'll be demanding to see the manager and collect my dime refund, just to be a PITA. If enough people do it, that will be end of that kind of spam in the US.
That's the kind of excuse Bush and Ashcroft want to use to pull the woll over your eyes. You really think this would stop any kidnappers?
Step 1: Kidnap Kid
Step 2: Throw any phone they have in the dumpster
Really, why the hell do you think any kidnappers are going to let a kid keep his PHONE on him? You think they're THAT stupid?
From the article.
"However, given the real-time requirements of transmitting information over a telephone network, it can be difficult to program a wide-range of options for individuals to personalize preferences such as when, where and with whom to share location information. One solution is to hard-code a network database with an "on-off" switch that activates or deactivates a service, for instance, during a window of time with set hours such as peak and off-peak."
So, dial 9-1-1 and your phone should broadcast its location.
Otherwise, just make it an option for the numbers you have stored on your phone and a simple check box for the rest (I want to receive tons of phone spam Y/N).
#1. If I dial 9-1-1, my location is broadcast.
#2. If I turn off the broadcast function, my location is not broadcast (unless #1).
#3. For every phone number I have stored, I have the option to broadcast (or not) my location to that number, provided I have broadcast turned on (#2).
#4. For everyone else, I can choose to receive massive amounts of phone spam (unless #2). Why anyone would choose this option is beyond me.
Any problems with that? It seems simple to me. And it should be easily implemented in software. Of course, it will NOT provide the captive audience for phone spam that seems to be the focus of that article. But so what?
The day I have to take my phone out of pocket to discover that i've been "invited" into a nearby business establishment will be the day I chuck said phone thru the front window of said business establishment. Really, how often do you get the chance to kill two birds with one phone?
For for just $4.99 per month you can keep these popups from showing up on my cellphone.
They make money one way or another.
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There have been times when I've been wondering where the nearest {insert favorite exotic food} restaurant is.
- Grab Mobile
- set "restaurants only"=true
- turn on location announcing thingy
- wait 5
- turn off location announcing thingy
- read ads from local restaurants
Wire them up with an electronic compass and it should even be able to give you (updated in realtime, even) directions from where you are.Visit CryptoGnome in his home.
In particular, I don't want the restaurants (or other stores) to even know I'm nearby until I ask the phone to poll for that information.
businesses to send a solicitation by text message to a cell phone when its owner wanders within range of those merchants.' Oh, wonderful, cellular popups..."
;)
Could be interesting when you pass that 'massage parlour' you never knew was there
Many have pointed out how ineffective lojacking kids would be if the kidnappers (who 99% of the time are relatives, the press just makes a big deal when there is a stranger kidnapping) are aware of the technology.
It can be worse, it can be used to mislead. Of course they can just turn the phone off (you going to trigger an alert on every dead battery or out of range cell phone?) but they can also plant it at the home or the home of some red herring.
But here's the real question. Kids have rights. At what age will parents finally let their kids be free of the surveillance anklet we're calling a cell phone?
I can tell you it will be later than it should be for almost all parents, that is their nature, and it's understandable.
But I think if we are going to have readily available child-lojack, there may need to be a law to protect the children from their parents, and forbid doing it after the age of 12. The kids can still have a phone, can still call 911 and transmit their location, but no parent query.
Otherwise we destroy the freedom of all kids to catch one stupid criminal out of 100,000 who doesn't know to turn off the phone. All the other times it will be used to say, "I told you not to associate with that Jimmy kid."
When I was in Singapore about 18 months ago, they were starting to introduce location based services. They were tossing around ideas like an SMS 'discount voucher' being sent to you as you wandered near a store, but they also had practical stuff like I could call a particular number, and it would SMS me back with the location of ATMs for my bank nearest to my location. That was pretty handy.
You are right though. The system will be abused.
Ho! Haha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!
"...as it will undoubtedly
improve children's safety."
how so? Are you saying the kidnapper won't through the cell phone out the window?
How about this, the kidnapper tosses the childs phone into a different vehical going in another direction?
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Just as cookies have useful applications, so will location-based messaging. Location-based traffic reports immediately come to mind.
:-)
I'd love to get an SMS when I-684/I-95 are jammed, and I'd love it even more if the service was free, paid for by an ad for the local Dunkin Donuts.
Beware: I believe all are created equal, and have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Criminal uses cell phone to call in kidnapping ransom. Police trace phone, find criminal + kid. Summer 2003
Kidnap victim memorizes rapists cellphone. Police check registry, find perp. Jun 2003
Kidnapped woman had cellphone hidden on person. Cops trace it to car, catch perp in parking lot. Nov 2003
And many more...
(At least I didn't say 3...profit)