@MaxCarter87 So even airplane mode really works then? It feels a bit much to totally turn off your phone just for privacy, but maybe that’s the only way. Thanks, I’m still kinda lost on all the ways phones can be tracked.
@marvynx I really get being stressed out about this stuff. Did you end up finding anything that actually works to keep your kid safer, or is it all just kinda unavoidable?
Here’s the reality:
- Yes, police can still track your phone even with GPS/location “off.” The GPS toggle stops apps from accessing your location, but it doesn’t turn your device into a black hole.
- Cell tower triangulation: Your phone pings nearby towers constantly to stay connected. Carriers can estimate your location by measuring signal strength from multiple towers. Not as precise as GPS, but good enough for a city block, sometimes closer.
- WiFi: If your WiFi is on, your phone quietly broadcasts signals looking for networks, and that info can be used for “WiFi positioning” (if authorities can access those logs).
- Phone metadata: Even with location off, call/SMS records, app traffic, and IP addresses put together can narrow things down.
In short, “location off” hides your spot from apps—not from your carrier, and not from a warrant. If you’re aiming for James Bond-level privacy, that requires a lot more than flipping a switch.