So now Apple wants to let third parties remotely control your phone -wtf

Heard about this on the Joe Rogan podcast, the “news” seems quite old, sorry if I’m being a bit bill. So say if you go to a gig they can “geo fence” your phone and disable your camera so you can’t record the gig. Seriously? Even weirder and more scarey is the ability of “Covert police operations” they can disable your phone or certain functions on your phone.

They already appear to have the ability to change the spelling in your text at will. Where will it end?

LOTS of things get patented in the tech world.
Very few see the light of day.

I won’t be worrying about this till they actually implement it.

Bet he’s got tin foil under that beanie.

I’ve seen Spooks. They’ve been doing this for years.

And they took Flash away. 🙁

And they took Flash away.

Spooks did? Bastards!

well thats easy ….

im going to a gig tonight – stick on aeroplane mode…

take a bunch of photos …. wont that person feel stupid 😀

Even weirder and more scarey is the ability of “Covert police operations” they can disable your phone or certain functions on your phone.

Why would they want to switch your phone off?

It is much more useful to them switched on, although they still have some capability (e.g. rough positional tracking) when it is switched off as long as it has charge on the battery.

To prevent you from communicating. Think of an apartheid style banning order at the click of a mouse.

What’s a “mubul” device?

Apple try to patent every idea their engineers/designers come up with:

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/10/08/an-inside-look-at-apples-role-in-the-patent-industry/

Why would they want to switch your phone off?

Riot situation – stop protesters communicating:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/26/egypt-blocks-social-media-websites

Never happen in the UK though eh…?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/12/louise-mensch-social-network-blackouts

Although yes, it can be better to leave them on:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/16/police-accessed-blackberry-messages-thwart-riots

GrahamS – see also

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACCOLC

or now

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTPAS

Apple try to patent every idea their engineers/designers come up with

As does any sensible company.

Riot situation – stop protesters communicating:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/26/egypt-blocks-social-media-websites

Never happen in the UK though eh…?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/12/louise-mensch-social-network-blackouts

Although yes, it can be better to leave them on:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/16/police-accessed-blackberry-messages-thwart-riots

Yes but witching everyone’s phone off at the same time is hardly “covert” is it?

It is not just the nice liberal democracys that would be able to use this technology for good, imagine how useful this power would be to misrepresented governments like Syria or China.

It is much more useful to them switched on, although they still have some capability (e.g. rough positional tracking) when it is switched off as long as it has charge on the battery.

Really? Like how?

If mobile phones transmitted at all when turned off, they’d be in breach of aviation regulations and would never get approved.

They can be tracked when not making a call obviously, but not when actually turned off and not transmitting anything (or in airplane mode). Unless someone has physically installed some kind of wireless bug inside your phone, but they might as well have installed it in your car, in your house or whatever. I reckon there is no way an unmodified mobile phone can be tracked while the power is off.

If you really want to make sure put any switched-off device inside a closed metal bisuit tin.

although they still have some capability (e.g. rough positional tracking) when it is switched off as long as it has charge on the battery.

Too. Much. CSI. 😆

Back to the point though. It’s your device so why are there so many remotely controlled applications to access it? When it comes to mobiles, older and dumber is better.

Back to the point though. It’s your device so why are there so many remotely controlled applications to access it? When it comes to mobiles, older and dumber is better.

All a matter of perspective isn’t it?

Case 1 : Device is stolen, owner switches on web cam remotely, gets photos of thief who is then ID’d, caught and prosecuted. Happy owner is reunited with device.

Case 2 : Evil snooping malevolent government agents decide to switch on web cam remotely…

Case 3 : Device is stolen, owner switches on GPS tracking remotely, locates lost device, is reunited and happy.

Case 4 : Evil snooping malevolent government agents decide to switch on GPS remotely…

Any mechanism that allows the good stuff can be perverted to allow the bad stuff.

I can see some great and very useful applications for the technology.

The problem is as always currently consumer privacy and protection law is running way behind the technology. It’s no use bleating on about every new piece or use of technology until certain standards are enshrined in law that protect people and put individual and collective freedoms ahead of commercial interests.

It’s your device so why are there so many remotely controlled applications to access it?

Are there?

When it comes to mobiles, older and dumber is better.

Old, dumb phones can be tracked as well. Cell tower triangulation isn’t that hard to do.

Yes, but really old phones don’t have built in cameras, and can be junked or left switched-on on public transport if you want to spoof any pursuers.

can be junked or left switched-on on public transport if you want to spoof any pursuers.

If you’re going to go all “Enemy Of The State” then just don’t use a mobile at all!

“They” will still be watching you on CCTV though…

Not with my face mask and my instant burka…