The dangers of New Technology (i.e., cell phones)

[lloyd3]

Your cell phone listens to you and tracks you (where you go in life and on-line). Mine has started to modify the articles that I see when I open it (there is evidently an algorithm which lets it tailor to your particular interests and tastes). In my case these days, it's stories about cars that were owned by celebrities (from minor ones to even the Bigs).

Recently my phone tells me that the quarterback for the Jets in 1969, Joe Namath, owned a red, 1969 R/T Charger.  Is that accurate?

[b5blue]

I like my flip phone. 

[doctor4766]

There are plenty of articles regarding him and a Charger.

The NFL's first celebrity player was also awarded the keys to a shiny new B5 blue 1969 Dodge Charger R/T. He drove the car for a decade, and after he was done with it, he sold it to an undisclosed buyer.

https://superbhub.com/entertainment/joe-namath-net-worth-earnings-house-car/

[hemi-hampton]

I like my flip phone. 

SAME HERE.

[lloyd3]

doctor4766: Thank you for that. It's not red but it's a '69 allright.

As far as flip phones go, I get it. The insidious nature of "technology" means that you can't really trust it to not do you dirty sometime. However...they are absolutely great cameras, they are also now fabulous GPS navigation, they are a cheap & efficient travel agent and a quick and seamless research source, and you start to take them for granted (as do your co-workers {if you don't have one...you're considered a bit handicapped}). They are also a lifeline for anyone alone (at home or out in the wild places) and they are even entertainment (as in reading this and watching what is essentially TV on them, [i.e., YouTube]).

With a "smartphone" you are dragged into the modern world, whether you want it or not and after a while you are seduced by the convenience.  They are very powerful.

[Old Moparz]

Years ago I resisted getting a cell phone because I "didn't need one". When my kid was born my wife was going all over the place & pay phones were starting to vanish. This is when we caved in & bought a "pay as you go" cell phone, one of those walkie-talkie looking things with a retractable antenna. 

Over the last 26 years since my kid was born, we changed out cell phones, cell plans & cell providers several times. We went from having just the one pay as you go phone to our current 3 smart phones with an unlimited use & data, family plan. I HATED the thought of giving up my $14 flip phone that only cost me about $125 per year.

Do I like my smart phone?

Yes & no.    It's bigger & more of a pain in the neck to deal with compared to the older flip phones, but it is definitely convenient at times. Going online, maps with GPS, & even DC .com is accessible now. The reality is that life is getting more complicated & a smart phone is a necessity whether you think so or not.

One example is security verifications. My son said one of his college professors, an older guy, had a flip phone but every time they had class the professor had to get one of the students to use their smart phone to get a security code in order for him to log in on the computer to start the lesson.

The same thing is now part of my own ritual at work. Once a week the shared server randomly requests each employee to retrieve a passcode in order to log in. It sends the passcode to my smart phone & then I type it in on the desktop. If I didn't have a smart phone I'm not sure what the procedure would be. 

I did keep my old pay as you go, Tracfone in service as a backup phone for emergencies. Seems well worth it for the $125 a year.

[lloyd3]

Old Moparz: Like you, I resisted for a long time, but work finally made it impossible to function "professionally" without one. 

Password confirmation is just a small part of that, banking now relies on it for two-stage verification, as do utilities, insurance companies, pharmacies, tax accountants, etc. The assumption now is that "of-course you have one". I now buy my hunting/fishing licences, register my cars, pay my bills, buy my airline tickets and rent my cars with one. If you're living on the road at all, you're almost dead without it.

What's that old line from the movie..."get on with living or get on with dying".

[John_Kunkel]

I love those TV cop shows where 100% of the evidence against the perp is from cell phones i.e. time and proximity to the crime scene along with incriminating texts.

I carry my smart phone with me wherever I go but IT'S TURNED OFF until I need to use it for a call (rarely) or as a portable computer. IOW, no incoming calls since nobody has the number.

[lloyd3]

Mr. Kunkel: Are you planning on some henious crimes? 

When you consider the vast numbers of folks with these phones now, you realize that you've got very little to worry about.

I'm confident that all my silly little activities are simply not interesting to anybody but myself.

[John_Kunkel]

I'm not worried, merely pointing out the "dangers"...that's the subject of your thread. Those who fear "Big Brother" should be aware that their phone divulges lots of info about activities.

[moparstuart]

Im more afraid of all the new AI  we not have a phone system at work that monitors our calls and sends us emails giving us suggestions of what we should have done better  .   Soon the Computer will be taking all the calls  . 

[lloyd3]

Moparstuart:  That sounds simply awful to me. Not sure I could abide that one.

[Mike DC]

Modern smartphones are listening and tracking whether they are turned on or not.  You have to put them inside a soundproofed metal container to get any privacy. 

 
IMO modern smartphones are necessary for life in the real urban cities.  I mean places where people earn $150k and still don't own a car.  Trying to live in that environment without a smartphone is more trouble than it's worth in 2025. 

Out in the boonies the smartphones are still sort of optional.  You might still get away with a flip-phone if you make some compromises. 

[b5blue]

  Yea I get where I go old school, no navigation system. I don't need cup holders much less phone holders and I can go to a movie and not buy a 15.00 popcorn or 8.00 drink! I'm still stumped why someone (Like my kids.) will type a bunch of crap back and forth instead of just calling and talking but hey you be you. I look shit up on my laptop, at home.   

[Kern Dog]

I love paper maps. To me, they are timeless. They need no batteries, they provide scale and perspective. In many cases, they are accurate for decades. I carry maps in every car I drive out of town.
I have nothing against technology if it actually is an advantage to what we are currently using. Like many of you, I was a bit slow to accept new tech. I got my first cellular phone in 1995, one of those compact brick Motorola DPC 550 flip phones. This was long before text or pictures.
Some people say that If you're not doing anything illegal, you have nothing to worry about in terms of the electronic spying the government does. There is some validity to that but I still don't like the idea of it. Whoever listens to me only hears me talk about cars, day to day stuff with the wife and family and a lot of reminiscing about the good old days.
I've heard that advertisers are listening so they can target you for products that they are selling.
If that is true, I expect to hear ads for car parts, hair spray, hamburgers and toys for the dogs.
So far, I am not seeing any of that.

[Mike DC]

Some people say that If you're not doing anything illegal, you have nothing to worry about in terms of the electronic spying the government does

[Kern Dog]

Uhh....

[375instroke]

[375instroke]

Some people say that If you're not doing anything illegal, you have nothing to worry about

Even the cops fight tooth and nail to prevent having to wear body cams.  If they're doing nothing wrong, what do they have to worry about?

[Bobs69]

Whistleblower and anti-surveillance advocate Edward Snowden remarked that "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say."[9] From his perspective, governments are obligated to protect citizens' right to privacy, and people who argue in favor of the nothing to hide argument are too willing to accept government infringement upon those rights.

[lloyd3]

It's all about power and control and one of the reasons why our old cars are becoming "persona non grata". It's not just about the emissions, eh?

[Kern Dog]

Careful Lloyd....the supporters of big-gov on this forum will scold you like they do to me!