# Phone tracking your exposure



## Sunny (Nov 11, 2020)

I got a message this morning on my phone saying that the state of MD is now able to use cell phones to track whether we have been exposed to the virus. If we want to be informed whenever we've been exposed, it can tell us.

I did click Yes for that, don't know yet how it works, or what I can do about it if it does say I've been exposed. It promises that names and locations are never revealed, so it sounds OK. 

If it becomes a nuisance, I can turn the app off. Does anybody else have this?


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## Aunt Bea (Nov 11, 2020)

We have a similar program in New York but I didn't sign up for it.

Please keep us posted on how it works, the value, etc...


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## Pinky (Nov 11, 2020)

Sunny said:


> I got a message this morning on my phone saying that the state of MD is now able to use cell phones to track whether we have been exposed to the virus. If we want to be informed whenever we've been exposed, it can tell us.
> 
> I did click Yes for that, don't know yet how it works, or what I can do about it if it does say I've been exposed. It promises that names and locations are never revealed, so it sounds OK.
> 
> If it becomes a nuisance, I can turn the app off. Does anybody else have this?


My husband has this app on his phone.


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## StarSong (Nov 11, 2020)

I only turn on my phone's location system when I have a specific need for it (like for directions), and afterwards I turn it off again.  

It really creeped me out when my phone would ask me to rate restaurants, stores and other places I'd visited. 

Not planning on adding this app. Google and its buddies already know too much about my life.


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## AnnieA (Nov 11, 2020)

That's supposedly how China got control of the spread but the app isn't optional for citizens.  The Chinese people have lived so long with apps, facial recognition cameras etc tracking their every move and  grading  their "social credit" that I doubt it was hard for the CCP to roll out.    And that's if you can believe any of the Covid stats issued by the CCP from the beginning.  There could be hot spots in China now that we'll never know about.


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## DaveA (Nov 11, 2020)

I'm afraid that, at 87, the app will be mostly blank.  The phone might be asking if I was still alive or was the phone spending most of it's time atop my bureau.


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## Judycat (Nov 11, 2020)

No thanks. I don't need yet something else to remind me my life sucks.


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## Rosemarie (Nov 11, 2020)

My phone is an old one and doesn't connect to the internet, so it's not an option. Google knows far too much about me already.


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## win231 (Nov 11, 2020)

I've never had a cell phone.  I should get one now, since it can protect my health.


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## Sunny (Nov 11, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> My phone is an old one and doesn't connect to the internet, so it's not an option. Google knows far too much about me already.



Yeah, I was a little worried about that also, Rosemary. But they promise not to reveal names, locations, etc. to anybody. It's just to warn the person who has been exposed. So I'm hoping they are as good as their word.


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## C'est Moi (Nov 11, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> My phone is an old one and doesn't connect to the internet, so it's not an option. Google knows far too much about me already.


An internet connection is not necessary for cell phone tracking.


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## C'est Moi (Nov 11, 2020)

StarSong said:


> I only turn on my phone's location system when I have a specific need for it (like for directions), and afterwards I turn it off again.
> 
> It really creeped me out when my phone would ask me to rate restaurants, stores and other places I'd visited.
> 
> Not planning on adding this app. Google and its buddies already know too much about my life.


Same here.   No way, no how.  Location Services stays turned OFF.


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## old medic (Nov 12, 2020)

StarSong said:


> It really creeped me out when my phone would ask me to rate restaurants, stores and other places I'd visited


LMAO....We were camping at a state park in GA .... over the course of the weekend we both received multiple messages about 
rating  a restaurant....  We were in the middle of the woods!!!!!


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## Lewkat (Nov 12, 2020)

If you have Google on your phone, whether it is turned on or off, it knows where you are if you have that phone with you.  This was demonstrated one day by Cyber Guy on Fox, when he showed a video where a man turned his phone off and then took a trip around some big city, stopping multiple places.  At the end of the day, checking with Google, it showed every where he visited.  If you read the terms and conditions of accepting Google, it is spelled out in that entire statement which takes an hour to read.  So, if you buy and Android Smartphone with Google installed, you are accepting their terms.


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## StarSong (Nov 12, 2020)

Lewkat said:


> If you have Google on your phone, whether it is turned on or off, it knows where you are if you have that phone with you.  This was demonstrated one day by Cyber Guy on Fox, when he showed a video where a man turned his phone off and then took a trip around some big city, stopping multiple places.  At the end of the day, checking with Google, it showed every where he visited.  If you read the terms and conditions of accepting Google, it is spelled out in that entire statement which takes an hour to read.  So, if you buy and Android Smartphone with Google installed, you are accepting their terms.


I wish I could say this surprises me, but it doesn't.  On the other hand, if they already do that, why do they bother to have a location feature that can be turned on or off?  What's more, why keep asking me if I'd like to turn it on?    

p.s. I'm not talking about turning off or clearing the location history feature, I'm referring to the location feature itself.


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## Lewkat (Nov 12, 2020)

StarSong said:


> I wish I could say this surprises me, but it doesn't.  On the other hand, if they already do that, why do they bother to have a location feature that can be turned on or off?  What's more, why keep asking me if I'd like to turn it on?
> 
> p.s. I'm not talking about turning off or clearing the location history feature, I'm referring to the location feature itself.


I'm not sure why.  I don't have that feature on my phone at all.  I do know, they know exactly where I go and where I've been since seeing that video, I tried it out.


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## Elsie (Nov 12, 2020)

That's creepy.  "Big Bother" creepy.  Since where you are, and where you go can be found without that tracking, I wouldn't sign up.  Before going anywhere, I first check where there are "hot spots" by way of other sources to find out.
BTW way, I don't use a cellphone anyway )s


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## Lewkat (Nov 12, 2020)

It isn't a matter of signing up.  Smartphones have Googled installed, so if you don't want a cell  phone tracking you, don't get a Smartphone.  As for tracking you, satellites in space are already doing that.


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## StarSong (Nov 12, 2020)

Lewkat said:


> I'm not sure why.  I don't have that feature on my phone at all.  I do know, they know exactly where I go and where I've been since seeing that video, I tried it out.


Look up "turn off location" on an internet search that includes the make and model of your phone.  Do it with duckduckgo.com if you don't want google watching over your shoulder.


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## win231 (Nov 12, 2020)

StarSong said:


> I only turn on my phone's location system when I have a specific need for it (like for directions), and afterwards I turn it off again.
> 
> It really creeped me out when my phone would ask me to rate restaurants, stores and other places I'd visited.
> 
> Not planning on adding this app. Google and its buddies already know too much about my life.


How do you feel about your computer tracking your shopping?  It knows where you've been.


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## StarSong (Nov 12, 2020)

I use Firefox & Duckduckgo, plus clear my cache frequently.  I'm sure I'm being tracked plenty, but I try to not make it too easy.


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## Judycat (Nov 12, 2020)

They can track my shopping all they want. Doesn't bother me.


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## Lewkat (Nov 12, 2020)

Judycat said:


> They can track my shopping all they want. Doesn't bother me.


That's what they are most interested in.  Where you shop and you will begin getting emails from those venues.


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## Sunny (Nov 12, 2020)

This is probably the wrong logic, but I never go anywhere interesting enough that I would care if anyone knew about it.


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