THIS! 💯THIS! I’ve been talking since all this shit began that if it came to that, I’d get rid of my smartphone in a heartbeat rather than give in on this madness!
Same here, The Ungovernable! When I reluctantly got my first cell phone ages ago and held it in my hands, it felt smooth and nicely shaped, like a cigarette lighter, and it occurred to me that we were being introduced to something addictive. And here we are, millions of people interacting through these little monsters rather than to one another, which is bad enough, but it’s also a ticket to hell!
You might want to turn off wlan on your phone too, because if the restaurant offers a 'free hotspot', they can register your phone's unique MAC address and pass it on to google. Many do this.
Android devices will default to looking around for 'free wlan' and when they do, they wind up being identified by the hotspot. I don't know if iPones do as well, but I'd be surprised if they don't.
There are apps that can scramble your unique MAC address, or you can just disable that wlan thing in settings, when you're not using it.
Guy I knew went to lunch, then google pushed him a request to rate the restaurant as he was leaving. That's kind of annoying.
Sucking up all our personal info is a big business, and there's no escaping it completely, but I think it's fun to block what I can, that's all.
Router still sees your link-layer MAC address even if you don't go online. If it's set up to harvest them, it will identify your phone with every visit, as the phone scans for access points (even without you 'going online'. The mitigation for that is either to fake your MAC address, or turn off WLAN so the phone doesn't scan the environment and expose itself.
The VPN would prevent the hotspot operator from tracking which sites you visit. But I haven't heard of companies doing that with their free WiFi. The MAC tracking is useful to corporations to get data on customer traffic patterns and is commonly abused, and shared with data-krakens like google.
I know! They’ve become ubiquitous, so it’s a challenge to figure out another way to go, but it seems to me we need to do that or our goose is totally cooked.
Years ago I read that a large enough solar flare would take out the electrical supply across entire nations, destroy transformers and effectively send us back to the stone age.
Can you imagine how many people would be unable/unwilling to survive if the entire internet, mobile communications system broke down?
(Says he while typing on an internet communications device)
Could not agree more! I resisted smartphone use for a long time and when we finally got them I had a sinking feeling that nothing good would come of them.
What smartphone and social media use has done to teens ( I have one) is especially unconscionable!
In fact it makes piping hot mad! I fantasize about smashing our smartphones all to bits. 💥🔨💣
I am working on an article about quitting my cell phone. So far I am on day 3 of not having used it at all--just landline phones. Could I include this cartoon? It really nails a major reason to abstain from them.
Please, by all means, use this cartoon, toniReno! There are so many reasons not to use these things! I didn’t even touch on the impacts on our health! Will put that idea in the hopper for a future cartoon.
Nice one! I have just recently swapped my smart phone for a good old-fashioned dumb phone (phone calls and text messages only) and for the real peace of mind that comes with it. Fortunately for me, I'm at an age (I'm a classic Baby-Boomer) where I can convincingly pull off the 'old duffer, still living in the past' routine (I still have a landline phone, so ancient am I).
Same here, age-wise, Phil. We have a landline, too, and I hope there comes a day when it really comes in handy. A good old-fashioned dumb phone sounds good to me!
I pull the “old duffer” thing in stores and at the airport, where they want you to self serve. Stand looking confused for a minute, and some clerk appears to take care of you!
I still have a smartphone. I was applauding the concept of a dumb phone - I need to look into what to get. Something for emergencies - stuck on the road, need to call for help kind of thing. Suggestions welcome!
THIS! 💯THIS! I’ve been talking since all this shit began that if it came to that, I’d get rid of my smartphone in a heartbeat rather than give in on this madness!
Same here, The Ungovernable! When I reluctantly got my first cell phone ages ago and held it in my hands, it felt smooth and nicely shaped, like a cigarette lighter, and it occurred to me that we were being introduced to something addictive. And here we are, millions of people interacting through these little monsters rather than to one another, which is bad enough, but it’s also a ticket to hell!
Exactly. The government tracking alone if enough to stop you in your tracks.
Me too!
Brilliant!!!! Whenever I go to a restaurant and they ask me to use the QR code I say "I don't do QR codes". LOL!!!!
You might want to turn off wlan on your phone too, because if the restaurant offers a 'free hotspot', they can register your phone's unique MAC address and pass it on to google. Many do this.
Thanks for the heads up, bongoben! I think I may have turned this off a while ago, but will check to be sure.
I have a Samsung. Is wlan specific to iPhones? I keep my location off as well. Thanks for the tip.
Android devices will default to looking around for 'free wlan' and when they do, they wind up being identified by the hotspot. I don't know if iPones do as well, but I'd be surprised if they don't.
There are apps that can scramble your unique MAC address, or you can just disable that wlan thing in settings, when you're not using it.
Guy I knew went to lunch, then google pushed him a request to rate the restaurant as he was leaving. That's kind of annoying.
Sucking up all our personal info is a big business, and there's no escaping it completely, but I think it's fun to block what I can, that's all.
What if you have a VPN on your phone?
Router still sees your link-layer MAC address even if you don't go online. If it's set up to harvest them, it will identify your phone with every visit, as the phone scans for access points (even without you 'going online'. The mitigation for that is either to fake your MAC address, or turn off WLAN so the phone doesn't scan the environment and expose itself.
The VPN would prevent the hotspot operator from tracking which sites you visit. But I haven't heard of companies doing that with their free WiFi. The MAC tracking is useful to corporations to get data on customer traffic patterns and is commonly abused, and shared with data-krakens like google.
So even if you don't connect they can see you. I didn't know that. Thank you for the info and advice bongoben.
It's unlikely that the restaurant chain has your MAC ID associated with your name. But it's also unlikely that Google doesn't.
MAC harvesting and spoofing is a real thing. I can't reccommend any particular app for it though.
https://yandex.com/search/?text=mac+spoofer+spoofing+for+android+xda-developers
Same here, Susan! Over my dead body. Print menu, please! ;-)
In case anyone wants the QR code for this page, here it is: https://0x0.st/og2X.png
No, thanks!
Love this one!👍
Thank you, Kelly!
Amen, and Amen!
"I'd rather kiss my smart phone goodbye."
The problem is, too many people can't/couldn't/wouldn't.
I know! They’ve become ubiquitous, so it’s a challenge to figure out another way to go, but it seems to me we need to do that or our goose is totally cooked.
Years ago I read that a large enough solar flare would take out the electrical supply across entire nations, destroy transformers and effectively send us back to the stone age.
Can you imagine how many people would be unable/unwilling to survive if the entire internet, mobile communications system broke down?
(Says he while typing on an internet communications device)
It would be one mother of a catastrophe!
Anne and her readers are Luddites.
Long live the Luddites!
https://www.britannica.com/event/Luddite
Amen! ;-)
Could not agree more! I resisted smartphone use for a long time and when we finally got them I had a sinking feeling that nothing good would come of them.
What smartphone and social media use has done to teens ( I have one) is especially unconscionable!
In fact it makes piping hot mad! I fantasize about smashing our smartphones all to bits. 💥🔨💣
Me, too, Joy! Would love to smash my phone to bits! And may just do that!
Love those emojis!
Telephone technology peaked with the answering machine.
I am working on an article about quitting my cell phone. So far I am on day 3 of not having used it at all--just landline phones. Could I include this cartoon? It really nails a major reason to abstain from them.
Please, by all means, use this cartoon, toniReno! There are so many reasons not to use these things! I didn’t even touch on the impacts on our health! Will put that idea in the hopper for a future cartoon.
Thank you so much!!!
Nice one! I have just recently swapped my smart phone for a good old-fashioned dumb phone (phone calls and text messages only) and for the real peace of mind that comes with it. Fortunately for me, I'm at an age (I'm a classic Baby-Boomer) where I can convincingly pull off the 'old duffer, still living in the past' routine (I still have a landline phone, so ancient am I).
Cheers,
Phil from Australia
Same here, age-wise, Phil. We have a landline, too, and I hope there comes a day when it really comes in handy. A good old-fashioned dumb phone sounds good to me!
I pull the “old duffer” thing in stores and at the airport, where they want you to self serve. Stand looking confused for a minute, and some clerk appears to take care of you!
Dumb phone for the win.
And a multi week battery life as well.
YES!!
What kind of dumb phone do you have?
I still have a smartphone. I was applauding the concept of a dumb phone - I need to look into what to get. Something for emergencies - stuck on the road, need to call for help kind of thing. Suggestions welcome!
Hi Anne, I made a song dedicated to Emily Oster and her Rothschild Rag, 'The Atlantic'
https://0x0.st/og39.mp3
~
So you say you want amnesty
but I see no reason why
can't you see how it feels for me
i'm likin seein you cry
but it's much too late ... so goodbye
yes it's much too late ... so go die
i'm so through with this poo from you
cause all you say is a lie
now you say you were just confused
but that's a buffalo pie
and it's much too late ... so goodbye
now it's much too late ... so go die
job said I had to stay away
you made economy die
then you pushed the mRNA
stuck the jab in my eye
now it's much too late ... so goodbye
yes it's much too late ... so go die
then you told me to jab me kids
and they just started to die
now your starting to get the shits
and you still won't admit why
now it's much too late ... so goodbye
yes it's much too late ... so go die
~