If the FCC Bans Burner Phones, It Could Be a Privacy Nightmare

https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/if-the-fcc-bans-burner-phones-it-could-be-a-privacy-nightmare/

by joe_the_user • 27 days ago

8 8 27 days ago

Finnucane2• 27 days ago

Could be? Isn't that the whole point?

They want to get rid of burner phones so spies and terrorists won't be able to use them anonymously anymore. This is just like when the FBI got the unlock code for iPhones to read a terrorist's locked iPhone; now they can unlock any iPhone.

Finnucane2• 27 days ago

You think Brendan Carr gives a shit about terrorists? He thinks we're all terrorists.

ggm• 27 days ago

I would think a review of the situation worldwide was justified, since almost all other economies in the G<n> space require government issued ID to have a SIM and an IMEI bound together.

So, what IS the massive privacy invasion at scale going on worldwide, in the non-US mobile market?

smalltorch• 27 days ago

Honestly, who the heck uses a burner phone if you really need to be anonymous? That's like 1990's tv show stuff

JSR_FDED• 27 days ago

Other than in movies I’ve never seen anyone use a burner phone, ever.

defrost• 27 days ago

... and yet, they exist, are cheap, and widely available.

  Burner phones are available at all major retail outlets, including Best Buy, Target and Walmart. They're also often available at convenience stores like 7-Eleven, local supermarkets, gas stations and retail phone outlets like Cricket and Metro.

  You can get a burner phone with cash, and it should cost between $10 and $50, although it may cost more if you get more minutes and data.

~ https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/what-is-a-burner-phone/

Doesn't have to be a whole phone either, can just be an over the counter burner SIM.

You probably have seen someone use a burner phone, it's not like a giant red arrow appears over users head with "burner phone" in blinking letters.

If the FCC Bans Burner Phones, It Could Be a Privacy Nightmare

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