Cellphones are required to have a gps locator chip in them; ostensibly to enable finding a 911 caller who can dial but not speak.

Obviously, such features can be misused.

For example, geolocation can be used to pinpoint physical address which can be cross-referenced to public records to provide someone's full name and address. This is why, when I see a provider, my cell phones are off, the batteries are removed; and they are placed in a faraday cage.

If you look carefully at your 500-page 6-point-type service agreement; you'll likely find that employees at the company are allowed to do this too; just as your agreement with your ISP lets their employees snoop into your email.

BTW... I should mention, that all this purely fictional story-making, and that I don't 'pretend to ascribe' any plausibility to the aforementioned information.

All information contained within these posts is for entertainment purposes only...

Stomp stomp wink wink

Have a great day all.

Yes, they use this all the time to locate people who have called 911 but were unable to give a location. They also use it to locate stranded and hurt climbers and hikers. Not a big revelation.

Never heard of them using it to track whether random guys are seeing providers.

In my laboratory, I have a jug of sulfuric acid. It just sits there all by its lonesome and does absolutely nothing. Just like the GPS chip in a phone just sits there and does absolutely nothing.

What makes the sulfuric acid bad or good is what *I* choose to do with it. It is MY intent that infuses it with moral content. The power of human choice.

In my cellphone is a GPS chip. That chip *could* save my life. Or, one of my ex-girlfriends who is a cop could activate that chip and use it to hunt me down and kill me for possible past wrongs.

This technology is perfectly fine and can and does save lives. But it is worthwhile to be AWARE of its potential for abuse without our knowledge or consent.

I believe that yes, phones can be tracked without warrents...  but when dear daughter lost her phone the carrier informed her that they would only do so upon LE request.  
The biggest concern should be the spyware program that allows others to keep you phone active to overhear what is said in the location.  It was on TV a while back.  It would be just the thing for a spouse to catch a cheater.  
I leave my normal phone in the car & only my prepaid phone gets swapped into my belt carrier on a date.  I also erase the calls recieved & dialed before shutting it off & storing it.  Not that it could not be broken forensically, but it would sure prevent Mrs Tiger from hitting redial!
I do not have a smart phone but there is great risk of any tracking technology.
I also delete "previous destinations" from my auto GPS.  Yes, it means I might have to re-enter an address.  It's better to be safe.  
If you are being forensically investigated you are already in trouble.  Do not leave any bread crumbs...
skb