The government uses targeted advertising to track your location • Hacker News Board

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#21

Post by WastedCucumber » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:00 PM UTC

JohnMakin wrote: post #10

everdrive wrote: post #3

It's never popular when I post this, but I'm just going to do it again: "No matter the risk, I must carry my smartphone everywhere and install every app. It would be unimaginable to have the urge to look something up, but then wait to do it later until I'm using a real computer. No negative outcome will EVER shake my deep, permanent need to carry a smartphone all the time and use it for as much as possible." We've do…

> It would be unimaginable to have the urge to look something up, It's not popular because this is very reductive and dismissive of the problem almost to the point of dishonesty. Many modern functions need an application and there is little or no alternative. Some examples: QR codes - lots of restaurants don't have a physical menu and need a QR code scan. This behavior extends well beyond restaurants as well. Keys -…

Just one more example here, which I think is a big one for some people - chat apps. Without Whatsapp, Telegram, and Signal, I can't really use my phone as telecommunications tool with friends and colleagues, because everyone is on them. The group chats are where a lot of discussion happens, so I can't just switch to SMS/calls.

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#22

Post by js8 » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:03 PM UTC

everdrive wrote: post #3

It's never popular when I post this, but I'm just going to do it again: "No matter the risk, I must carry my smartphone everywhere and install every app. It would be unimaginable to have the urge to look something up, but then wait to do it later until I'm using a real computer. No negative outcome will EVER shake my deep, permanent need to carry a smartphone all the time and use it for as much as possible." We've do…

It's a false dichotomy. Citizens can have useful smartphones while not being tracked by unwanted actors.

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#23

Post by Lammy » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:06 PM UTC

js8 wrote: post #22

everdrive wrote: post #3

It's never popular when I post this, but I'm just going to do it again: "No matter the risk, I must carry my smartphone everywhere and install every app. It would be unimaginable to have the urge to look something up, but then wait to do it later until I'm using a real computer. No negative outcome will EVER shake my deep, permanent need to carry a smartphone all the time and use it for as much as possible." We've do…

It's a false dichotomy. Citizens can have useful smartphones while not being tracked by unwanted actors.

Not with modern cellular and Wi-Fi tech we can't. Base stations literally “steer the beam” to follow you. Precise location spying is essential to the way they achieve such high throughput.

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#24

Post by butlike » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:07 PM UTC

jsbisviewtiful wrote: post #9

everdrive wrote: post #3

It's never popular when I post this, but I'm just going to do it again: "No matter the risk, I must carry my smartphone everywhere and install every app. It would be unimaginable to have the urge to look something up, but then wait to do it later until I'm using a real computer. No negative outcome will EVER shake my deep, permanent need to carry a smartphone all the time and use it for as much as possible." We've do…

> It's never popular when I post this That's because you're coming off holier than thou and condescending. Anyone who understands gadgets will say phones are highly trackable and will have told anyone that well over 10+ years ago. It's a trade off of value. Corporations/gov can track me while I have my phone, but turn by turn directions, maps and a camera while wandering around are useful. We could legislate that tra…

So print off map quest and carry a disposable like in the 90s. If you don't use social media, the value proposition of a smart phone is incredibly low. I feel we peaked at mobile phones which could call and text.

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#25

Post by GuinansEyebrows » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:15 PM UTC

everdrive wrote: post #12

gerikson wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's also the possibility that we, as consumers, demand that the political system solves this issue with robust privacy legilsation that prohibits any entity from tracking our phones.

>There's also the possibility that we, as consumers, demand that the political system solves this issue This will never happen, but good luck.

do you think that's any less likely than a mass boycott of all smartphone usage by the public?

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#26

Post by stronglikedan » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:16 PM UTC

MengerSponge wrote: post #4

everdrive wrote: post #3

It's never popular when I post this, but I'm just going to do it again: "No matter the risk, I must carry my smartphone everywhere and install every app. It would be unimaginable to have the urge to look something up, but then wait to do it later until I'm using a real computer. No negative outcome will EVER shake my deep, permanent need to carry a smartphone all the time and use it for as much as possible." We've do…

I don't think this is right. Most people are just not that curious, so there's no drive to be able to look things up. People don't want to be bored, so a phone with all the apps provides a reliable source of distraction/entertainment.

Also the fact that most people (the vast majority even) will never be affected by having their location data shared so they just don't care, myself included.

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#27

Post by throawayonthe » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:19 PM UTC

Lammy wrote: post #23

js8 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a false dichotomy. Citizens can have useful smartphones while not being tracked by unwanted actors.

Not with modern cellular and Wi-Fi tech we can't. Base stations literally “steer the beam” to follow you. Precise location spying is essential to the way they achieve such high throughput.

we can't have privacy for mail contents. the post network literally "routes the package" via the address on the box. digging through your mail is essential to the way they achieve such delivery rates

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#28

Post by NicuCalcea » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:23 PM UTC

everdrive wrote: post #3

It's never popular when I post this, but I'm just going to do it again: "No matter the risk, I must carry my smartphone everywhere and install every app. It would be unimaginable to have the urge to look something up, but then wait to do it later until I'm using a real computer. No negative outcome will EVER shake my deep, permanent need to carry a smartphone all the time and use it for as much as possible." We've do…

You act like looking random facts up is the only thing we do on phones. My phone is a personal computer, I use it to navigate through the world, work, access my bank accounts and other personal information, and communicate with others. And yes, sometimes these can't wait the 10–15 hours I might not be at home.

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#29

Post by qsera » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:24 PM UTC

everdrive wrote: post #3

It's never popular when I post this, but I'm just going to do it again: "No matter the risk, I must carry my smartphone everywhere and install every app. It would be unimaginable to have the urge to look something up, but then wait to do it later until I'm using a real computer. No negative outcome will EVER shake my deep, permanent need to carry a smartphone all the time and use it for as much as possible." We've do…

You are worried about THAT?

How about we carry a device with multiple cameras, multiple microphones, and 24x7 connection to the internet that is running an operating system made by an Ad Company, to the most private of places?

Re: The government uses targeted advertising to track your location

#30

Post by Lammy » Thu, Mar 05, 2026, 7:25 PM UTC

throawayonthe wrote: post #27

Lammy wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not with modern cellular and Wi-Fi tech we can't. Base stations literally “steer the beam” to follow you. Precise location spying is essential to the way they achieve such high throughput.

we can't have privacy for mail contents. the post network literally "routes the package" via the address on the box. digging through your mail is essential to the way they achieve such delivery rates

Unfortunately also correct: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/us/monitoring-of-snail-ma...

“Mail Isolation Control and Tracking program, in which Postal Service computers photograph the exterior of every piece of paper mail that is processed in the United States”

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