53
submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) by ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/privacy@lemmy.ml
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 12 points 5 days ago

Just want to note here that suspicion does not equal proof. Consider honestly what you are trying to accomplish, and what the risks are. There are absolutely scenarios in which even raising suspicion is unacceptable, and others where it isn't.

[-] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 5 days ago

I'm not selling dope, I just don't need Google knowing everywhere I went on the way to the doctor's office, where I'll probably sit and look at cat videos in the waiting room. I have anxiety and I can't stand surveillance like this constantly.

[-] hddsx@lemmy.ca 11 points 4 days ago

Have you tried risk management instead? You can turn off your cellular network, wifi network, and Bluetooth. Hell, you can just toggle on air plane mode. This should theoretically turn off GPS too.

If this isn’t enough management then you’re suspecting that the OS is somehow keeping track of you or there’s some firmware that is bypassing OS controls to track you. Unless you are doing something highly illegal or you are someone highly important, I highly doubt this is the case.

[-] escew@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 3 days ago

Last I checked airplane mode does not disable GPS as it is a passive service. The phone will track your movement and then send it all next time you connect.

[-] hddsx@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

You must know something I don’t.

AFAIK, GPS works by fetching signals from satellites.

If you disable your Bluetooth/wifi antenna, you won’t know your relative location to other devices. If you disable your cellular antenna, you won’t know your relative location to cell towers. I presume that you would need some of that data to know your position relative to satellites but maybe I’m missing something. Maybe it receives data from satellites directly?

[-] bandwidthcrisis@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

Yes, GPS works by measuring your distance from several GPS satellites (based on the timing of the signals they send). If a few distances are known, it narrows it down to a point (the satellite orbits are known so you know where they are at any time).

I've owned several stand-alone GPS receivers before phones started to include the feature.

You can download offline maps to phones so that you can navigate without any phone signal.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (8 replies)
load more comments (8 replies)
this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2025
53 points (93.4% liked)

Privacy

41084 readers
612 users here now

A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.

Some Rules

Related communities

much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS