South Korean police aiming to equip all new handsets with GPS?
By Darren Murph 
posted Mar 29th 2008 12:40PM
posted Mar 29th 2008 12:40PM
[Via textually, image courtesy of The New York Times]
posted Mar 29th 2008 12:40PM
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And I thought the Real ID plan was bad.
This is all very frightening, but most phones in the US contain some sort of GPS tracking system, and all it takes to get access to them is the *hint* of probable cause.
Law enforcement in the United States has been able to achieve what some SK politician wants, for the most part, without legislation. (Though I am not sure how the legal system works in SK, e.g., do they need to get a warrant first?)
No, because I can turn off the GPS. It looks like they want it to be always on.
And I am always skeptical of people tracking my every move. Sure, the current government leaders might be all pure and good. But what about the next ones? What precedent does that set?
If you like the current president and think he should have sweeping powers, what iuf Hilary Clinton wins? She would have the same powers.
People often don't think about the long term effects of things like this, and that scares me. I'm no Ron Paul, but absolute power does corrupt absolutely.
You can turn your GPS off to third parties, but not to the service provider. All they need is a warrant from an interested law enforcement agency and you are being watched.
There's a '911' mode for the GPS in American phones. On my LG it's that or 'public' mode. There is no off.
I thought big brother was watching in the UK!
I think your looking for a racism discussion site, we're here to talk GADGETS.
We already have this in the US, or at least have in process.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E911#Wireless_Enhanced_911
'Mobile phone users may also have a selection to permit the location information gathered to be sent to other phone numbers or data networks, so that it can help people who are simply lost or want other location-based services. By default, this selection is usually turned off, to protect privacy'
At least you guys have a chance of privacy, something tells me the Koreans won't get such a luxury.
I was going to post the same thing. All current handsets that are sold in the US have E911 AGPS (assisted GPS) location capability.
The default is to have it ONLY enabled for 911 calls but for Verizon's Navigator or Chaparone service it needs to be enabled full time.
That orange looks yummy.
I think I would like the pink hat more than the orange.
Jim: Racist? No... merely humor derived from linguistic stereotypes... much as we laugh at Miss South Carolina's humorous "U.S. American" linguistic faux pas.... at least, that was the intent.
No where to run, no where to hid.
Break on through, to the other side? (yeah I know, *you* ruined the first part by not using the word try in place of nowhere)
You got it.
I am not sure I want to know where everyone is all the time. How are we supposed to find time to play?
However you put it your comment was prejudice toward Korean people, I'm sorry but I have no idea who Miss South Carolina is since I don't follow the miss America contest. Surely it is obvious to you that humour 'derived from linguistic stereotypes' at the very least supports prejudice opinions because to stereotype people is to encourage prejudice views of them.
Finally, news after 5 hours.
@ JimReaper:
Lighten up. It's oversensitive babies like you that perpetuate racism, not wise-crackers like For2itous.
(Though typing his name made me cringe a little bit.)
I bet the Cubans do the same thing... and make them waterproof too!...
Laughter Attempt: FAIL
Jim: I grant you your point and hereby appologize... but, and answer honestly here, were the story about mandatory GPS inclusion in, say Russian phones, and my comment consisted of vintage 'Boris Badenough' dialogue (a la Rocky n' Bullwinkle), wouldn't you crack just the *tiniest* of smiles?
So once again the innocent people have to pay for the guilty, while the guilty will most likely find ways of stripping or disabling the tech. Rejoice!!!
I wonder if the dumb criminals realize that they can just take the battery out of the phone until they are done with the crime.
I don't think this is about tracking the criminals as much as it is about tracking the people who were kidnapped. But both could be done.
You got it... I'm not Korean, but I'm already heating up my soldering iron to burnnNn that GPS IC when it arrives to Mexico :-)
No, I wouldn't anyway. But then again, I'm not 12 years old.
While I fully support your choice to remain humorless and/or otherwise unmoved by possibly bad 'Badenough' dialogue... please don't imply that The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show catered soley to sub-teens... I think most in a position to know would agree that that show was in fact the 'Simpsons of the Sixties'! (Ok, I'm 'leggoing your Eggo' now...)
We laugh at Miss South Carolina because she talks like a 2 year old. It has nothing to do with her regional dialect.
Uh Oh, don't let "George II" hear about this or he'll make it illeagle to leave your phone at home or let the battery die.
Although I didn't find it funny, you people are too politically correct.
There needs to be a biometrically activated tracking system. That is, when a person is in a panic various stress electrical signals etc. detected, the system should detect it and trigger the GPS and signal for immediate help. Otherwise this stuff would be too late to do anyone any good.
HAha, I'm guessing you don't work in any profession that would be part of the response team.
Imitating accents is in no way racist. You people need to lighten up.
GPS in all new phones? You mean that isn't _already_ the case? >_>
Against kidnapping? obviously if the government mandates GPS and everybody knows that, and everybody has a cellphone with GPS what is the first thing even the dumbest kidnappers will do you think?
Weak excuse korean fascist, weak excuse.
It's even a more failed attempt when you realize that Koreans have no problem saying L's and W's as those sounds are both present in their language. It is R's that Korean's have difficultly with since that sounds in not present in their language. This is coming for someone who taught English for 2 years in Korea, and can read and write Korean.