US cell carriers are selling access to real-time phone location data

Previously discussed 3 days ago: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=17046632" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=17046632</a><p>Despite the dupe factor, I support continuing to raise awareness about this. The fact that it happened at all and continues to be permitted is super messed up.<p>Shocking abuse of information on part of the carriers, data re-sellers, and ultimately bottom feeding scumbags who let the law run wild and unchecked.

I got the feeling something like this was going on when collection calls became responsive to my location changes the majority of the time. Imagine having no real enjoyment in life, being working poor, and each time you do leave the house you’re greeted with a reminder that you’re in debt and they’re watching you. I don’t doubt the depths of what we’ll find companies doing with access like this.

Can someone with a US phone see if this try-before-you-buy page works?<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.locationsmart.com&#x2F;try&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.locationsmart.com&#x2F;try&#x2F;</a><p>It would be fucking unbelievable if you were able to track any US phone number like that, no ID, no court order.

<i>Kevin Bankston, director of New America&#x27;s Open Technology Institute, explained in a phone call that the Electronic Communications Privacy Act only restricts telecom companies from disclosing data to the government. It doesn&#x27;t restrict disclosure to other companies, who then may disclose that same data to the government.</i><p><i>He called that loophole &quot;one of the biggest gaps in US privacy law.&quot;</i><p>No shit.

I never turn location services on and I run on mobile data (rather than WiFi) almost every moment of the day.<p>My location was correctly determined within the specified range. <i>sigh</i> Ridiculous.

They&#x27;ve been doing that. You can even pay for access. (Marketing companies use it for when you sign up for &quot;deal marketing&quot; via the shortcodes)

Always reassuring to see visible HTML tags in tools like this.

You can choose not to carry a cellphone, but sometimes you have to use your car which has a lot of the same &quot;features&quot; as a cellphone. How can you disable all that stuff on a car?

This is unbelievable, wow!! So, when I sign up with a cell carrier, is it in their terms and conditions that they can sell my location data? How is this legal?

Is there anyone from EFF here take notice ?