Feds finally moving toward Star Trek's capabilities.

[gturner]

I always loved it when Picard could ask the Enterprise to locate someone and it would instanly respond with their whereabouts. Finally, decades later, the Federal Government is getting in step with the future.

On Friday, the first federal appeals court to consider the topic will hear oral arguments in a case that could establish new standards for locating wireless devices.

In that case, the Obama administration has argued that warrantless tracking is permitted because Americans enjoy no "reasonable expectation of privacy" in their--or at least their cell phones'--whereabouts. U.S. Department of Justice lawyers say that "a customer's Fourth Amendment rights are not violated when the phone company reveals to the government its own records" that show where a mobile device placed and received calls.

link

This will make all our lives so much simpler and safer.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't see the privacy problem here. As the link said, the phone companies are within their rights to turn over their own records. And it's not like the feds are listening to calls themselves; only tracking the actual phones.

And no one is forced to carry a cellphone. You don't like this law? Leave the damn cell at home. Or don't use one at all.

 

[DonIago]

^How 90s.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ I disagree. Cellphones are not the be-all and end-all of human existence. Weren't then, and are not now.

 

[DonIago]

I -was- kidding.

People who can't go places without their cellphone (I'll settle for turning off the ringer) scare me.

 

[gturner]

Given that the only people without a cellphone are probably going to be criminals trying to hide their activities from the government, not carrying a cell phone should itself be possible grounds for investigation and monitoring.

 

[RoJoHen]

Given that the only people without a cellphone are probably going to be criminals trying to hide their activities from the government, not carrying a cell phone should itself be possible grounds for investigation and monitoring.

Mr. Laser Beam is going straight to prison.

 

[Gertch]

And people were all upset by the Patriot Act.

 

[RoJoHen]

Can they track where I send text messages from? That's about all I use my phone for anyway.

Not that the government has any reason to look for me...unless they want to personally hand me my tax return.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Given that the only people without a cellphone are probably going to be criminals trying to hide their activities from the government, not carrying a cell phone should itself be possible grounds for investigation and monitoring.

FWIW, I'm not a Luddite. The main things keeping me from using a cellphone is 1) the calling plans are too expensive (way more than what I pay for landline), and 2) I have to have a landline anyway because of my alarm system.

 

[gturner]

Well, perhaps you should pick up one of the wildly cheap pay-as-you go phones like Tracfone, which are only $20 or so at Walmart, plus $20 or so to activate. You don't even have to use it, just keep it with you so if you get recruited into an Al-Qaeda cell the government can snatch you off the street before you hurt yourself or others.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Those prepaid cells still have to be reloaded every so often or the minutes will expire.

 

[gturner]

Yes, but it's several months, at least. It's not such a bad deal, but I've heard that the basic phone technology is becoming so cheap that soon you should be able to get unlimited nationwide calling for something like $20 a month, if not less, in the very near future.

If it gets cheap enough the government should probably step in and provide everyone free, tax-subsidized pre-registered cell phones with built-in explosive charges.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Yes, but it's several months, at least.

No, it's only about a month and a half.

Still, I suppose it would be a pretty good deal (there's no minimum amount that I'm aware of for reloading - you just have to reload some amount, any amount), except as I said, I have to have a landline. It's unavoidable. My security system requires one. So a cellphone is really of no use to me - it can't replace my landline, so why would I want one?

 

[gturner]

So you can call the cops when you've barricaded yourself in your panic room after the horde of Vikings employed by the credit card company has cut your landline and are cutting through your door with battle axes.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't have a panic room. I have a panic house.

As for cutting the landline: My phone service is through my cable provider, so unless the vikings think to cut that, I think I'm set.

 

[gturner]

Well, I went with Tracfone and it's active until Dec 29, 2017, but that's because some of the cards give you a year of service. Others cut the rate in half (double minutes). I think most of the pre-paid companies have similar specials, but I'd poke around on the net to get the latest info and people's opinions on them.

 

[Shikarnov]

Given that the only people without a cellphone are probably going to be criminals trying to hide their activities from the government, not carrying a cell phone should itself be possible grounds for investigation and monitoring.

"If you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to hide."

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Given that the only people without a cellphone are probably going to be criminals trying to hide their activities from the government, not carrying a cell phone should itself be possible grounds for investigation and monitoring.

"If you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to hide."

I think he was joking. At least that's my hope.

 

[gturner]

Hey, for a couple of years I had the NSA on my speed dial.

Unless the federal government, or possibly a world government, has the ability to track the location and activities of all citizens at all times, how are we going to move into the future that science-fiction writers have prognosticated in some of their best novels?

Attempts to find people with psychic powers who can make people's brains explode have all failed. Attempts to create an artificial intelligence that will wipe out humanity have so far been for naught. SETI is still dialing for an alien invasion fleet but doesn't even get a busy signal. Attempts to grow pod people have produced nothing but more artichoke dip.

We're failing, people, and failing badly. I know it's lame, but the federal cell phone angle is the only game in town right now.

If any of you have a better idea on how to move into the future I'd like to hear it.