Is the government spying on you through your phone?

Kiwi Bubby

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 7:33 pm

I read an article about the chinese spying on people through their phones.
https://www.usatoday.com/story.....5002/

It sounds completely farfetched to me.

Do you think that a company or government spying on your phone is something that realisticly that we should be afraid of?

If it’s not true then is this just the latest tactic to manipulate consumers to not buy specific brands?

Will you do anything different in your life after reading this article?

SixOfWands

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 7:40 pm

Kiwi Bubby wrote:

I'm sure its possible.

But they'd be awfully bored if they were spying on my phone.

sub

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 7:45 pm

ectomorph wrote:

Yes and I trick them by saying I love donald trump when really I hate him.

Oops

SixOfWands

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 7:45 pm

ectomorph wrote:

Yes and I trick them by saying I love donald trump when really I hate him.

Oops

In college, I dated a guy whose roommate was an anarchist. He was convinced that his phone was being tapped, so he would occasionally start singing patriot songs.

pizzapie

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 7:50 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

In college, I dated a guy whose roommate was an anarchist. He was convinced that his phone was being tapped, so he would occasionally start singing patriot songs.

That sounds quite delusional!

Fox

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 8:32 pm

So I literally just got a new (used) phone about 2 hours ago. With a single Google login, my entire phone was restored, including WhatsApp conversations, apps, and bookmarks.

Between Amazon and Google, my life is an open book -- well, an unprotected app.

This should have upset me since I believe Google is evil, but I was mostly just relieved not to have to manually restore my phone. So despite all my posturing for free speech and soft libertarianism, I am a complete sellout when relieved of a tedious task.

As for government spying, I think we need a Constitutional amendment to provide for the separation of Google and state.

ectomorph

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 8:45 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

In college, I dated a guy whose roommate was an anarchist. He was convinced that his phone was being tapped, so he would occasionally start singing patriot songs.

I guess I'm not original

ectomorph

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 8:46 pm

Fox wrote:

I'm also a sellout

NovelConcept

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 8:50 pm

Fox wrote:

As for government spying, I think we need a Constitutional amendment to provide for the separation of Google and state.

You crack me up!

rgr

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 9:16 pm

Not necessarily the government, but yes, definitely being spied upon.

There are people working full time on figuring out how to analyze all the trillions of bits of information to make most use out of it.

One thing you can do is CLOSE APPS THAT ARE NOT IN USE. You have given these apps certain permissions. If they are open in the background, they still have the ability to use the things they have permission to. (I.e. location, microphone etc)

You can possibly be spied upon even with these precautions, but hey... you can only do what you can do.

flowerpower

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 9:29 pm

ectomorph wrote:

Yes and I trick them by saying I love donald trump when really I hate him.

Oops

They’re here too so watch out!

Ravenclaw

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 9:36 pm

I actually know an anarchist and he swears that PokemonGo is a way for the government to keep tabs on your location.

WhatFor

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 9:38 pm

It's not necessarily the government but many businesses have access to what you're saying and googling through your phone. Certain social media accounts hear what you're saying when you're speaking (even when not using the ap) and will use that to target appropriate ads to you.

But if you're curious about what access the government could have, watch Snowden.

Ravenclaw

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 9:39 pm

That being said, I know most people disagree with me on this but I don’t get the whole Edward Snowden thing. Like so what? I am not doing anything wrong so why would I care if the government listens into my calls? If letting them listen helps catch murderers and prevent terror and mass shootings I am all for it. Yes, I talk about private things over the phone, things I wouldn’t want anyone to know, but nothing the government would care about so...let them listen.

NovelConcept

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 9:41 pm

Ravenclaw wrote:

I actually know an anarchist and he swears that PokemonGo is a way for the government to keep tabs on your location.

Might not be a bad idea, actually. Good way to keep track of terrorists.

Hiding

Though I do wonder how many terrorists are busy grabbing Pokemon (Pokemen?) instead of, you know, being involved with more nefarious things...

NovelConcept

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 9:43 pm

Ravenclaw wrote:

Agreed.

And let the bashing begin.

sky

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 11:40 pm

I was just reading an article and it mentioned how ‘weather bug’ sells tons of location information. And whiles its all anonymous it’s pissible to figure out whose who by following addresses.
I use weather bug. But if I give it up another app will start following me.

We travel to a weird city hours away many years for thanksgiving. Last year we didn’t go so it’s not like I have a major pattern over the lifetime of my phone. But we did discuss going a few times this year. Waze sent me a notification 3 days before thanksgiving that there was a turkey parade in that city 300+ mikes away. It was totally listening into our conversation. How else would it know. (/s Besides for all their algorithms)

happyone

Mon, Dec 10 2018, 11:49 pm

so what? they might track my Amazon purchases? will see that most of my hard earned paychecks go straight to Uncle Sam? they will see the whatsapp conversations between my nutty siblings? I got nothing to hide. if someone is keeping tabs on me I probably bored them to death already.