I figured that it was time to mention those items that most of us can do without. I'm talking of technologies that are meant to track us and maybe even eventually betray you someday. Seems many items today fall into this category as they are often designed to have another use other that that which wanted when purchasing it. You still want "said item", just not Big Brothers ability to spy on even your daily life at home.
Thus I figured a thread dedicated to such a topic was due here for Prepper's to learn from. Once again I'll start the show rolling and see if other's will play along too.
OnStar Tracking:
http://news.yahoo.com/onstar-plans-track-users-even-disconnecting-040405549.html
We've all heard mention of this possible ability and many GM owners likely are not pleased with the possibility of them using your car as their tool. You know when it's official though as articles are written about it and no denials are presented as challenge against such articles. They hope that the story blows over and life goes on and you just accept this intrusion as normal procedure.
Reasons to keep:
1. On-Star can unlock your vehicle if you lose your keys or lock them inside
2. On-Star can locate your vehicle if it is stolen by a dumb thief who never took the time to learn how to disable the units from You Tube.
Reasons to disable:
1. On-Star is a GPS tracking system in the controls of other persons than yourself
2. Like your cell phone, your GPS location is constantly being recorded and data recovery can be subpoenaed to be used against you in a court of law(past court actions have already proven this true) . The chance of you acquiring this same info to otherwise prove your innocence is likely beyond your powers.
3. On-Star has the proven ability to disable your vehicle at any time without your consent.
4. On-Star's built is cell service also has the potential to be used as a permanent bugging device to record all phone conversations and even transmit normal conversation within the vehicles confines
Disabling OnStar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMlhs_-PaHk (decent video on how to do a simple car disable)
http://cadillacfaq.com/faq/answers/navpart2/index.html (this is more complex but shows the wiring connections to sort thru disarming separate features only)
Now there are many varying opinions of how to do this disconnection on the web and the above video was the simplest and easiest for the majority to understand. Before doing your own vehicle, cruise the web searching for others who accomplished this task successfully. See if your vehicle requires special considerations first. Legally, the vehicle is yours, but if you still owe money on it, a court of law may determine different. Just another thought to maybe first consider too.
How About the X-Box Threat
a simple fix for those afraid of the X-Box potential of listening or recording you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccv5y_d0TzM
Our insurance company has offered us a rate discount if we install one of their [my words here] Black Boxes in our vehicles. 😆 Um no thanks.
.
Improving Cell Phone security
This is a far larger problem to overcome as we want this technology but not it's flaws. There is much controversy over even your privacy rights here as our government claims they need to know all that goes on thru daily communications to protect you better...ya, Okay! 🙄
The Canadian government has just announced a shameful plan to use bullied kids as an excuse to ram through an unpopular online spying plan. We forced the government to withdraw Bill C-30 over spying and now they've just reintroduced many of these online spying measures in their new Bill C-13.
If you want to protest this, go here https://openmedia.ca/StopSpying
These attempts at making legal that which your government is already doing covertly, show reason to learn your rights and protect your data in this fast advancing technology age. Many proclaim they are prepared and yet we all know that little effort has been put forth because things are changing too quickly to even keep up. And therefore I think many opportunists will take advantage of us slowpokes due to this lack of the latest knowledge. And for those skeptics who want further proof they indeed are out to get you, check out just how officials might "accidentally" grab your private data while grabbing an intended suspects data many blocks away http://www.blacklistednews.com/New_Hi-Tech_Police_Surveillance%3A_The_%E2%80%9CStingRay%E2%80%9D_Cell_Phone_Spying_Device/30411/0/38/38/Y/M.html
And then there are the basic arguments over which phones Operating System's is better than the others. Logic alone dictates that Android is likely the best choice as "Open Source" coding means that there is no hidden code to find out later you were being betrayed by the designer themselves. Due to this aspect, your Android phone is safer in many ways than even your Windows or Macintosh home computer. Yet some things are not smart to do on a cell as yet such as online banking. This is mostly due to the lack of fail-safes in the creators of the Android software versus that of Windows software and who might intercept this information along the way.
Here is some tips on how to secure it and your personal data.... https://www.encrypteverything.ca/index.php?title=Cell_phone_privacy_guide_%28Android%29
Now I know that your likely not going to read it through, but it again mentions to see which apps you presently run are leaking your personal data to 3rd parties. My other thread on Cell Phone software http://internationalpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=5440 suggest things you should have, but Clueful (free app)will advise you best as it reminds you of what privileges each app has and you can then decide if that app is really worth the risks it offers.
Overall, the cell phone can't be trusted unless until you totally disconnect it's power source as the service provider is capable of implementing specific software to make the phone work as a one way receiver to listen in on your conversations even when turned off. Of course, this would only be performed by request of your own government (supposedly). It is due to this ability of every person carrying cell phones has the potential to leak company trade secrets that is making signal jammers a viable purchase these days for large and even small business. Yet many still proclaim that this technology doesn't exist even though such measures are becoming the standard tactic.
Seems there is much to considered on this subject, and so I will likely have more again regarding it later.
Our insurance company has offered us a rate discount if we install one of their [my words here] Black Boxes in our vehicles. 😆 Um no thanks.
A wise choice!
Glad we do not have On Star, an X Box, and we have no cell service here! Maybe we are in the "Dark Age", but that's quite ok with me.
The only thing that surprises me is how long it took to see this here.
-S.
"It's not what you have, but what you have done".
-S.
Yes, I've often thought of how to include such things in a post and thus sidelined the topic until now. I research such subjects in attempt to try and replace the gossip instead with reality, but even after showing them actual proof, many still will conclude much of this is just gossip as this approach allows for a better sleep it seems.
As you might have noted by now, it's obvious I like technology or I wouldn't be writing so much about it. Yet I am old enough to remember how we got along without it if need be. Since most of us require a vehicle to perform even daily routines, we must accept some of these bad technologies included in such purchases. Bad people use such needs against us to incorporate bad things into essential items and then even manage to make us pay for this option too. But there are still some creative individuals who are willing to share their "expertise" to prevent the system from attaining full control over all such aspects of your daily life.
Many who chose the "Blue pill" freely accept this self imposed slavery as they surrender unforeseen freedoms to obtain that new shiny gadget. It seems these people must first experience what they no longer have to realize they miss such simple things as freedom of speech. How simple it is for such as OnStar to turn on their system and listen in on conversation inside your car, but they promise never to do it. They said the same thing about the WaterGate tapes back when. How many people will actually take the time to undo their OnStar to protect their privacy today? This answer is also why they resubmit Bill C-13 after Bill C-30 was refused for the final time. Eventually everyone will quit arguing and the dirty deed is done! Now get them to remove the bill....this is how the lobbyists work these days. They are not working for you but instead for the big corporations who pay them well to cheat you!
If you are to survive these traps set before you, you must understand the implications and react so they can't collect data which can be used against you at a later date. Imagine that with the present GPS tracking abilities, everyone who say partakes in an illegal protest can be later convicted by their own cellphone proving their location during such and event, even though it was a peaceful protest. How about your kid mentioning privately to you that they attended such a protest and they intentionally left their cell at home(while sitting in your car with OnStar listening)? Are you waking up to the potential of this threat yet? You can always go swallow another blue pill instead or finally do some real thinking about how to reduce the risks to you and yours!
When big bertha eavesdropping maybe they want to create a prison without walls. Where they can monitor everything and preemptiving on anything such as negative words from spreading but somehow still often unable to prevent real terrorist attack from happening. You know I just don't get it when you got someone in your radar and suddenly those blacklisted people pops up creating chaos.
Regret comes last, if it comes early its called registration!
In the end, only fellow preppers truly respects other preppers.
When nothing happens, the world will laugh at you.
When SHTF, what will happen when they found out you got supplies?
Seems that we can buy more technology to check to see if your present technology is working for you or against you. Sounds dumb but possible.
RF Signal Detector:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Anti-Spy-RF-Signal-Bug-Detector-Hidden-Camera-Laser-Lens-GSM-Device-Finder-New-/251782833379?pt=US_Surveillance_Gadgets&hash=item3a9f6d24e3
To test this theory, I bought one of these and will let you know how it works when I receive it. As you can see, they list many possible uses. Going on the precept that you get what you pay for, I'm not expecting much as I'm not paying very much for this specific item. I am curious though if such a simple tool is possible of identifying threats by being in even a few feet of the transmitting device. If so, a cheap investment such as this could ease tensions in given scenarios without having to point fingers at one another all day long.
Now they do have better quality units that likely do this job properly, but then they seem to have a pricetag that most of us would then opt out of paying for then too such as this unit http://www.ebay.ca/itm/RF-Wireless-Signal-Dectector-Bug-Sweeper-Bug-Finder-Law-Enforcement-Grade-/161105261982?pt=US_Surveillance_Gadgets&hash=item25829f359e
Cell Phone Signal Blocker Case:
Here's another idea that seems dumb and smart all in one. A cell phone case that won't let you receive a call. For those on the run from the law or just extremely paranoid, this is the purchase for you http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Cell-Phone-RF-Signal-Blocker-Bag-Jammer-Pouch-Stop-Tracking-and-Bugging-PHNP-/351282013114?pt=US_Cell_Phone_Signal_Boosters&hash=item51ca0a23ba
I guess it's better than throwing your cell into a drink tumbler every time you figure Big Brother is looking for yur a$$ but it seems that maybe your love /hate relationship with cell technology should end about this time too. 😆
Anyways, these are just more ideas how to maybe own that which owns you!
I would highly suggest that one need learn to be without it period. You cannot disarm something like that. I have coworkers that can turn on my camera on my desktop at home. Whatever happened to relying on our instincts? Does anyone even remember how instincts even got to be? Would you not be changing things that are taking away or should we say "evolving" our instincts to electronics? Think about this for a second. What happens to a platoon when communication is lost? What happens to a copper with no radio? What happens to a trucker with no GPS? What happens when the power goes out at home? Ill tell ya what happens bro,… we go manual.
Wanna be a leg up on everyone else? Take a step back and go old school. Doing things the hard way becomes easy when you do it enough, learn from it enough, and fight through the barriers enough. Thats evolving. Toss an electronic device in ones hands and watch the change in what happens. Its completely funny!
I have been out with different kinds of personas. We have hiked, climbed, traversed, built, scoured, tracked, gathered, plotted, discovered, failed, and planned some more. The techies are fine for,.. well,… not much! They read an article on a blog and think its the only answer. Maybe its the best answer "their" device has given them. Maybe they even went so far as to DECIDE from the device on their own power, whats the best scenario out of the possibilities "according to the device" But I assure you the device is not standing where you are in the present moment. Its nuts and bolts, wires and diodes, plastic and mercury, and yes it is PRE PROGRAMMED! Do you really think in your heart this device will tell you what berry is the poison berry and which is good to eat? Will it tell you, and would you honestly follow instruction from a preprogrammed set of parameters installed on a mass scale to gather sheep for the final harvest by literally walking you down a path? Trust me. Those gadgets will fail you before your intended time. I witnessed such an account myself personally where a prospective group individual tried telling me something and I KNEW it was a lie by the device of technology. I knew it for a fact and woulda been proven in a court of law that I was so right just by the device itself….
Needless to say I now take this person for a liar. They could have and should have come clean especially when I told him I knew otherwise. The relationship soon began to fall apart of course because I fully believe this individual knew I was right. Understands Im not a wing nut and begun backing away and rightfully so. I side NOT with liars and cheaters. I side not with fork tounges and people whom have an agenda.
The device failed them, and prospered me and Im quite thankful for that. This same individual then proved on their own accord that they really ARE an advantage taker by other means.
Using devices puts all eyes on you. If your into that go ahead. A lot need the comfort as they are NOT willing to do the work involved, and using a device simply means your the type that NEEDS a device. Its your call but let me say this,… when you call,.. a lot are listening, watching and setting you up. Happened to me once. Lets just say I have evolved as well,…. and its old school for this cat. I challenge ANYONE to new school vrs old school.
Whatever tomorrow brings,… I will be there! 😉
It's funny that as I read Sceedcrete's comments that I find myself cheering for both sides...that doesn't happen often! Maybe I haven't bought a GPS for the bush as yet because I have too many compasses and maps...maybe I'm stuck in old school mode on this issue as I am comfortable and trusting when using these old tools too for much of my life.
Yet I own a GPS in my truck and rely on it whenever I go to the city. Many of my friends that have trapped her for over 20-30 years now rely on GPS's to locate their traps today, but don't yet own a cell phone. And yet 2 of them were cursing the other day because they cut trail for 2 miles in the wrong direction because they forgot to punch in new coordinates after stopping for lunch....bet that wouldn't have happened with just a compass.
Yet I could see a GPS being used to mark deadheads (underwater logs that float close to the surface) so tourists don't wreck the props on your boats. In other words, they are good and bads to everything. Don't expect one without the other. Many like the convenience of the cellphone. Where I live, there are few towers and you might have to walk a few miles until your within reach of a signal, but it could still save your butt if you broke down. Though they can't triangulate on you with cell towers in this area(as their all in a straight line up the 1 road only), the GPS signal would still sell you out. If you have the toys, just know their limits! If they break, be sure to know how to get along without them. Many of us old buggers have lived far longer without them than with them, so this shouldn't be an issue for us, but our kids are lacking in this area big time.
I'm betting the internet would sell us out long before anything else would. You ready to give that up right now too? Unlikely as I am not either. But if you have the tool, you should then learn how not to leave a trail of crumbs for others to follow you to your doorstep, just to be safe!
I agree wholeheartedly. LOL I see it that way as well for sure ^^
Whatever tomorrow brings,… I will be there! 😉