Re: Location Escrow anyone ?

[Alexandre Maret <amaret@infomaniak.ch>]

Pearson Shane wrote:
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> >> "Swisscom has stored data on the movements of more than a million mobile
> >> phone users. It can call up the location of all its mobile subscribers down
> >> to a few hundred meters and going back at least half a year," the paper
> >> reported.
> >
> >They probably say a few hundred meters so the people don't feel
> >their privacy is too ridiculously invaded / soften the blow.
> >
> >If this is a GSM network then I think they can probably pinpoint
> >your location down to 2 possible locations within a few meters
> >due to the digital timing involved with the very precise spread
> >spectrum radio. Or maybe your actual location within a meter or 2.

it is a GSM network, however, I doubt that they try to know more than
just the cell you're in... but you never know

[snip]
> >Imagine Mr.Drug Dealer turns up to court and watches as the jury is
> >presented with a floorplan on screen and an animated pinpoint of his
> >phones position while a recording of his conversation is played in sync?

yes... except that everybody but Mr.Drug Dealer use these mobile
phones (marketed under the name "Natel-D"). In switzerland, you can
buy GSM phones that works with prepaid cards. No trace, no name. The
location can still be pinpointed, but nobody know who's owning the
phone. This is called "Natel Easy" (what a name). It cost much more,
but depending on the business you're conducting, it's not a problem...

To conclude: everybody is watched, except Mr.DD...

> >The world just about, has no idea!
> >To say big brother is watching is a gross understatement.      :)

this is the problem in switzerland. When I first heard about this
story (and believe me, it's not the only one of that kind... it's
not even the worse), I tried to ask people around me to see what
they think about this, and I was amazed by their reaction. "There
is no problem, I'm not doing anything wrong." The media are
beginning to relate this kind of facts, but the people are still
incredibly naive.

One more thing we can say about this story: Switzerland's telecom
market is now free (since 1.1.98), and this story may give some
people (altough I'm not sure...) a reason to change their telco
(when possible).

Another fact of the 1997 year in switerland:

the largest retailer in switzerland (Migros http://www.migros.ch)
launched the M-Cumulus card. Each time you buy something by Migros,
you can present this card and get a 1% rebate (wow...) and you may
also get special rebate "tailored to your needs". But, to get this
card, you have to sign an agreement that allows Migros to record
what you buys. On the 20th november 1997, 1.6mio of citizen were
in the database (about 1/4th of the swiss population). When requesting
this card, you also provide the name and date of birth of each
in the household (you're not forced to do so, but 97% of the
M-Cumulus owners filled this information).
	(source: partially "Le Nouveau Quotidien", 20th nov 1997)

The federal government was supposed to issue a warning. If a warning
was issued, I may have been sleeping at that time...

Swiss Federal Data Protection Commissioner: http://www.edsb.ch/
mostly empty... not a word about these 2 stories. you see how the
swiss people are informed...

  alex