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Comment by everdrive | Hacker News Reader

So this is getting to be pretty real and pretty scary. How many of you have actually considered just not using your mobile phone any longer? Turning it off, only powering it on when you need it, and not bringing it when you leave your home?

Within a lot of our lifetimes, this was the norm. Are these devices so useful that put up with carrying a tracking / listening device on us at all time?

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FYI, powering off your iPhone does not prevent it from being tracked. It continues to broadcast a low-power Bluetooth signal other Apple devices will relay to iCloud.

"Participating in the Find My network lets you locate this iPhone even when it's offline, in power reserve mode, and after power off"

Settings > Apple Account > Find My > Find My iPhone

I really dream of doing it. I gave it a soft-run a few years back when mine was stolen and it was really hard. Not just creature comforts and habits like GPS etc but even things like so much of the modern world assumes you have a phone on you. Things like parking, event tickets, restaurant QR code menus (thankfully this one seems to be actually getting better though.)

My only comment is being able to call emergency services wherever you are is very useful. Pre-cell phone times was just hoping there was a landline somewhere. And you weren't able to get instructions from the operator and be with a fallen person at the same time.

Can't you just put your phone in a shielded bag, and take it out if you need to use it?

Yes, but this feels like the modern equivalent of wearing a tin foil hat :/

more like the equivalent of wearing a bullet proof vest

Just one anecdotal perspective:

I do not of know a single person in my extended family/professional network/social circle who has had location tracking or app eavesdropping directly impact their life. The only impact I’ve seen is via advertising exposure.

(For me) The convenience of Google Maps for navigation, and messaging for communication, is too beneficial. The _impact_ of these technologies as surveillance tools _in my life_ is hypothetical.

> I do not of know a single person in my extended family/professional network/social circle who has had location tracking or app eavesdropping directly impact their life.

yet. that's always the problem with such a strong declarative. things are not finished to be so finite

Anecdotally, Joseph from 404 does not use a mobile phone at all.

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