[geeks] Now for something completely geek

[Charles Shannon Hendrix]

Sat, 19 Aug 2006 @ 22:44 -0400, Patrick Giagnocavo said:

> On Aug 19, 2006, at 3:54 PM, Charles Shannon Hendrix wrote:
> > But what I really mean is that you can never turn them completely off,
> 
> You are aware that pretty much every phone company keeps their records, 
> like, forever?  And that unless you are in an area with very few cell 
> towers, they can (with more work) triangulate your location without 
> using GPS?

Yes, but that is regulated.

GPS location information is *NOT* regulated.  They could give it to
almost anyone, and have at several points planned to do so and then
backed off.  They've been sued over it.

> > You also cannot disable GPS location when dialing 911 and other 
> > numbers.
> 
> If you do a regular 911 call, it costs them virtually nothing to handle.
> 
> If you do one that is not tied into the location properly, it costs 
> about $85 - *per call*; as the call immediately drops out of whatever 
> automated routing system they use into a special call center, staffed 
> 24x7, that is tied into all the various 911 databases and PNAPs.
> 
> If they have your GPS location, and you dial 911, they know where you 
> are immediately and route you to the proper operators.

Sounds to me like a broken system, given that any other call will go
through exchanges that can give them that information.

> > I'm just wierd enough to think that is stupid.  If I want someone to
> > know where I am, even 911 personnel, I'll tell them.
> >
> 
> What if you don't know where you are?  If you call 911, you are saying 
> "emergency!" and the primary concern at that point is not privacy but 
> making sure you are alive and out of danger.

If you don't know where you are, then don't disable the location.

It's really pretty simple.


-- 
shannon "AT" widomaker.com -- ["Secrecy is the beginning of tyranny." --
Unknown]