What Your Old Mobile Phone Says About You
from the perhaps-a-lot... dept
It's been well known for years that discarded computers and hard drives often reveal the secrets of its former owner. However, now that mobile phones are becoming more like pocket-sized computers, it's worth recognizing that discarded mobile phones may reveal just as much. The question, though, is how much does it really reveal. The AP piece here is clearly a bit of PR for a company that does mobile security. They went out and bought a bunch of used phones and dug up the info that was on them. They admit, however, that most of the phone owners did at least try to hide the content on the phone, but with some software they could recover it. As for what you should do if you have sensitive info on your phone? "I'd run over the phone. Maybe give it an acid bath." Now you know.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Works for Ex-Girlfriends too
that is sage advice for ex-girlfriends if they know too much about you too. Especially if she's a mistress.
ON-Topic however, that's a little strange advice to run over it or give it an acid bath... There are legal implications in both of those suggestions.
If I remember correctly, most states have mandatory disposal requirements for things containing lead, mercury and other such lovely substances we dont want in our landfills>water.
Not to mention not many folks actually have the acid available to them.. Seems if you try and buy acid in decent quantity nowadays, you get marked as a terrorist.
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Re: Works for Ex-Girlfriends too
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Hammers work.
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Why not?
Why not just donate them? http://phones4charity.org.
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Re: Why not?
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Re: Why not?
OK, here's my reply:
Article states "Old Toys are dangerous for kids."
Mark replies "Why not donate them to poor kids?"
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magnet
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Re: magnet
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BOOM
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Rich Arrogent Bastards
You think poor people want your old useless crap? How about your underwear, maybe someone wants those too. After you are so great that everyone must want the junk you throw away.
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My old mobile phone says...
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Donate?
*Apologizes for Seinfeld Reference and makes a real point.
Maybe I’m behind the times but I don’t refer to a palm pilot, pda, smart phone, all in one, treo, black berry, digital life, as a phone. To be honest most of those advanced users don’t use the phone function all that much so it’s hard to call it a phone. Yes, those devices have sensitive info on them and I’m surprised it was legal to resell some of those devices (thanks sarbanes oxley) but I think using the term cell phone is a bit Mccarthisc, since most Cell phones (read phones that are cellular and are only phones and IM devices) don’t have that much on them.
*Apologizes for MCCarthy Reference
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Re:
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Sensitive info?
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Re: Works for Ex-Girlfriends too
or a hippie...
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Great Targets
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Thanks Adam_v1, now the terrorists have won.
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Suspect Study?
Note that while the AP article they link to about their "study" says that "a lot of info is easily erased," there is no indication in the article that any of the sellers actually thought to try to clear the memory on the devices.
Good info to know/reminder for those who keep everything on their phone, I suppose, but it just reeks to me of a publicity stunt. But then I'm pretty cynical.
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