If your Apple iPhone has recently been updated to Apple’s latest iOS operating system (iOS13.5), you now have the Covid-19 Contact Tracing app installed on your phone, And if you have a Samsung phone that uses Google’s Android operating system you most likely have Google’s version of the same or similar tracking system installed on your phone.
To confirm if the app is installed on your iPhone, go to SETTINGS, PRIVACY, HEALTH and if you see something that looks like the image above, the app is installed on your phone. (Sorry, I don’t have access to a Samsung phone so I can’t provide you with the details on how to check if the app is installed on your Samsung phone, but I’m willing to wager a pretty hefty bet that it is.)
Note that the app uses Bluetooth to exchange data with other Bluetooth devices. If you go to SETTINGS and click on BLUETOOTH you will see that the Covid-19 Exposure Logging app has requested the ability to use Bluetooth on your phone. Also note that although the app shows that it is turned OFF, there is NO toggle button to turn Bluetooth access OFF for this app.
I keep Bluetooth turned off on my phone because it drains the battery so fast. I also deny access to all apps that request Bluetooth access because I don’t like having anyone having access to my information. Alas, I fear that this will be to no avail. Rest assured that this app CAN and WILL be turned on remotely without your knowledge or consent and WILL be provided Bluetooth access without your knowledge or consent.
And don’t believe for a moment that this app will be limited to Covid-19 Contact Tracing. Now that the app is in place and provides our “government overlords”, not to mention our “Big Brothers at the Big Tech companies”, the means to track us “for our on good” under the auspices of “taking care of us” or to provide us with “lifestyle enrichments” it will be used and abused just as ever other new capability and feature that has been provide for our “benefit” in the past has been abused.
So, given that Apple (and Google) have proceeded forward with this unauthorized and, in my humble opinion, illegal spying, what can you do about it? Well, the easiest thing to do is to just leave your phone at home when you go somewhere where you don’t want to be traced. I managed to survive over 65 years without a smart phone and I’m pretty sure that I can survive what years I have remaining without one. However, I like having my phone with me in case of an emergency, so that is obviously NOT my preferred solution.
Alternative number 2 is to get a second, cheap throw-away phone that does not have smart phone capabilities and features, i.e. it is just a phone (what a novel concept). Unfortunately, that has additional costs associated with it and requires you to have a second phone number. This is also NOT a preferred solution.
The third alternative is to block the signals to and from your phone so that it can’t be traced. This allows you to take your phone with you so that you have it if an emergency arises, but prevents you from being tracked when the phone is not is use. There are several ways to block the signal.
- you can wrap your phone in aluminum foil.
- you can put your phone in an anti-static bag (also referred to as a Faraday bag or cage).
- you can carry your phone in a case that has signal-blocking technology built into it.
All of these options are readily available and low cost. I personally opted for option 2 – an anti-static bag. I purchased the bag (actually 50 bags) on Amazon for less than $10.00. These bags are available in various sizes and come with open (fold-over tops) or zip-lock tops. Be sure and get the zip-lock bag and make sure the bag is big enough for your phone to fit completely inside with the top closed. The bag I bought is 15mm wide x 20mm long and is just barely large enough to put my iPhone7 Plus phone in and zip close.
With the phone safely secured inside the closed bag no signals can be transmitted to or from the phone. I keep one bag at home and another in my truck so that I always have a bag with me wherever I am. I don’t generally keep my phone in the bag while at home and don’t always put it in a bag if I’m running a quick errand.
On the other hand, I sometimes put it in a bag while I’m at home just so I won’t be bothered by annoying phone calls or just to screw with the mind of whoever is on the receiving end of any transmissions from the app. I’m actually thinking of taking a long trip where I stop every 100 miles or so, take the phone out of the bag for a few minutes, put it back in the bag and drive another 100 miles or so in a different direction, repeat, repeat, repeat.
There will probably be an arrest warrant out for me before I get back home, but at least I will have avoided being tracked. That is until we all have trackers imbedded under our skin. But that’s a topic for another blog.
