overview for Vakbrain

Finland detects more GPS jammers as drivers increasingly try to hide their tracks | Yle News | Yle in c/technology@lemmy.world

[–] Vakbrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 6 months ago (3 children)

I totally understand this and I agree when it comes to jammers this powerful.

My comment was about the low power models which only works for few feet, just enough for to cover your own car. Those are still illegal.

Finland detects more GPS jammers as drivers increasingly try to hide their tracks | Yle News | Yle in c/technology@lemmy.world

[–] Vakbrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 6 months ago (3 children)

From the low power models I've seen (which are still very much illegal, same as the most powerful ones) only work between 5 to 10 feet at the very most.

It's like when the companies place trackers in cars, we have to assume they have the best intentions in mind (it is definitely for the customers security right?!)

But if we, the customers, block them from tracking us by jamming the GPS signal, they assume we have the worst intentions in mind (surely we are dirty criminals right?!)

This is why I said it "feels" wrong.

Finland detects more GPS jammers as drivers increasingly try to hide their tracks | Yle News | Yle in c/technology@lemmy.world

[–] Vakbrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 86 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (23 children)

You know what feels wrong? You can easily buy GPS tracking devices on Amazon, but it is illegal to use a GPS jammer in USA, Canada and many other countries.

So companies spying you is fine, but blocking a GPS signal to prevent them from spying can get you a $16,000 fine.

Edit: my thought experiment is not about truck drivers being monitored but more about those fancy new EVs that sell your GPS based data to data brokers... You usually can't turn off the GPS in those EVs.