Wow.  So a little while ago it was ruled that the government actually needs a warrant in order to physically place a GPS tracking device on your vehicle.  Just recently however a judge released a 30 page decision saying that the government absolutely does not need a warrant to request, use, and track your location data generated by your cell phone (and presumably other electronic devices). 

 

Basically what it amounts to is unless you turn your cell phone completely OFF, the government is within their rights to track and use that data to their heart's content.

 

 

Given the ubiquity and celebrity of geolocation technologies, an individual has no legitimate expectation of privacy in the prospective location of a cellular telephone where that individual has failed to protect his privacy by taking the simple expedient of powering it off.

…

As to control by the user, all of the known tracking technologies may be defeated by merely turning off the phone. Indeed—excluding apathy or inattention—the only reason that users leave cell phones turned on is so that the device can be located to receive calls. Conversely, individuals who do not want to be disturbed by unwanted telephone calls at a particular time or place simply turn their phones off, knowing that they cannot be located.

 

 

Fuck.  Slippery slope indeed....

 

 

http://gizmodo.com/federal-judge-only-powered-off-cell-phones-deserve-pri-506878179

 

 

 

LoJack. Get off the grid.

Couldnt you just turn your GPS off as well, I know they can still somewhat get your location because your phone checks in with the Cell tower, but it isnt nearly as effective or accurate.

Couldnt you just turn your GPS off as well, I know they can still somewhat get your location because your phone checks in with the Cell tower, but it isnt nearly as effective or accurate.

 

No, it just makes is SLIGHTLY less convenient, considering they just triangulate the location based off your 3G/4G signal to your device.  Still it's stupid IMO.