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Tactically Inept

Tracking of pre-paid cellphones


kuhla

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source - http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/senator...aid-cellphones/

 

New York Senator Chuck Schumer has already taken aim at texting while driving, and it looks like he's now set his sights on pre-paid cellphones, which he says can also be dangerous -- when in the wrong hands, at least. To that end, he and Republican co-sponsor John Cornyn of Texas have introduced legislation that would give authorities the ability to identify the owners of pre-paid cellphones, which they say is long overdue "because for years, terrorists, drug kingpins and gang members have stayed one step ahead of the law by using prepaid phones that are hard to trace." That new tracking ability would also consequently place some new requirements on cellphone carriers and people buying the phones -- specifically, anyone buying a pre-paid cellphone would be required to present identification before buying a phone, and cellphone carriers would have to keep that information on file for 18 months after the phone has been deactivated. Of course, the legislation still has a ways to go before it becomes law, but Schumer says it at least has a good chance of winning support from the Obama administration. Head on past the break for the complete press release.

I'm hardly a privacy/conspiracy nut but this is a bit too far imho. Ignoring the fact that public phones are completely anonymous, and I imagine they will stay that way, this just rubs me the wrong way.

 

Your thoughts?

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It will most likely be similar to gun shows. Although id is needed, if someone is trying to skirt the law I'm sure they could find a forged id. Also I doubt they'd keep any more information other than name and number of the phone.

 

I do think that you should always have the right to "be anonymous" either on the internet or even through purchasing items. So I don't like seeing anonymity dying rather quickly. That being said I don't think this legislation will effect too many people.

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I thought this commenter on dailytech put it rather well with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

 

source - http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=18550

 

By UNHchabo on 5/28/2010 12:33:30 PM , Rating: 2

Some of us like to buy pre-paid phones because we don't like contracts from phone companies. Incidentally, some of us also don't like having our ID photocopied when buying something as non-dangerous as a communication device.

 

Guess what? I can walk into Best Buy or Walmart, buy a netbook with $200 cash, then walk down to Starbucks and use their free Wifi to communicate with the world, no ID required!

 

Someone close this loophole before it's too late! We must require ID to be shown whenever a communications device is sold, or the terrorists win! Among the items to be restricted: Computers, wireless routers, walkie-talkies, and "home terrorist communication kits" that come with two paper cups and a piece of string.

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