For Liars and Loafers, Cellphones Offer an Alibi

[J.A. Terranson]

On Sun, 27 Jun 2004, Thomas Shaddack wrote:

> On Sat, 26 Jun 2004, J.A. Terranson wrote:
>
> > > Eventually the cellphones will be able to tell another phone approx
> > > where they are.  Remember the 911-locator fascism?
> >
> > I hate to break the news to you Major, but GPS enabled phones cannot be
> > instructed to turn off the GPS feature for law enforcement queries (e.g.,
> > 911).  Turn it on or turn it off, makes no matter.
>
> Can it be disabled by hardware hack of the phone,

Likely

> a mikropower jammer,

Only if you are willing to forego the phone as well, in which case, just
remove the battery pack :-)

> or using an "unofficial" firmware?

Almost certainly, although I do not have expertise in cellular firmware,
so I am just making an educated assessment.

-- 
Yours,

J.A. Terranson
sysadmin at mfn.org

  "...justice is a duty towards those whom you love and those whom you do
  not.  And people's rights will not be harmed if the opponent speaks out
  about them."

  Osama Bin Laden