It has always been well known that we are tracked as people and consumers for many reasons. When you log into your internet on computer, tablet and/or Smart phone you can now see ads based upon your searching and purchasing habits. When I log in I see bunches of eBay and Wal-Mart ads everywhere but when my wife logs in the ads are dominated by Macy’s. Now I do like that because I don’t really need to look at Viagra ads like my email inbox is full of but I do fear as the computer man inside my computer learns more about me, my age will pop up and soon I will get those anyways. Until then I try to trick him with going to a Victoria Secrete website daily.
Meanwhile everything you do on the internet is recorded for “marketing purposes” so that those ads that prevent us from reading an article that we just clicked on can be more relevant to us. The part people don’t like is the fact that everything you do is recorded and even opting out of the programs that record you movements don’t stop recording they just make you feel better about it. I first learned that from my favorite show NCIS where Special Agent McGee always pulls needful information off of someone’s computer even after it has been destroyed and I know CGI can do more for TV then real McGee’s can do for the CIA but all fantasy has shreds of truth and that leads us to Carrier IQ.
With New York having surveillance on the Muslim society and people already uneasy about the level of tracking done approved by the “Patriot Act”. Currently all major cell providers have to keep all voice calls and text recorded for at least 7 years for government access. So remember every spat with the wife is recorded and is ready to be subpoenaed against you at any moment.
All kidding aside people are already getting a little nervous about cameras on street corners for “traffic reasoning” and the overall level of “watching” that is happening daily though Visa transactions and or any online movie choices but now Carrier IQ is bring a whole new level of fear reminiscent of George Orwell’s disturbing classic 1984. Carrier IQ collects information from carriers and brands of smart phones even if the phone is not connected to a service.
This isn’t unique considering that Facebook.com and Internet Explorer have been doing this for years; the problem is that the program is designed to collect all data including keystrokes. This means that when someone browses the net, sends or receives a text or simply dials a number it is all recorded, matter of fact every button you push and in what order is recorded along with what you were typing it into. Overall this is no big deal right, we are all ok with companies infringing on our privacy rights for commercials or the government for safety but this logs all of your personal information. Banking, social media, passwords and usernames used on all websites and other personal information. If a hacker can grab all the info from American Expresses servers what stops them from grabbing this information? The program actually logs this information before it gets the opportunity to secure it with encryption.
We have been told in a post 9-11 world, that these losses of rights are purely for our safety but what is the reason for wireless provider or handset manufactures to needs for our personal information like bank passwords. Some companies have come out and have had press releases about this un-removable app that is embedded in all of their devices and have agreed that they use it for marketing but where does all the other information go? If every key stroke is recorded then my bank usernames and passwords or long with any user name and password I have ever used which would be helpful in cracking any other username or password I don’t use on my phone because most Americans do recycle passwords.
December 1rst CNN Money reported Carrier IQ was first discovered by an Android Developer named Trevor Eckhart who posted a 17 minute video on youtube.com showing how it works. (Click here to see the full 17 miniute video). Most companies are starting to acknowledge that they were unaware of the software but most software has names of companies like you will see in the video offered by Mr. Eckhart. A great deal of larger companies like Google are stating that researchers have recently found the app running on some of their devices as if they have never seen it before in their lives while Apple Inc. has confirmed with CNN Money that the software was on some devices but will be removed in the next software update for IPhones and IPads.
This leads us to another issue, how do you use your IPad? Plus why is it that Carrier IQ will be removed forever only because normal people found it, where were all of the quality controls for these larger companies or did they know it was there all along like other companies admit to? So with Carrier IQ leaving what will the next piece of software loaded on to our wireless Tablets, Smart Phones and soon internet browsing TV’s be named?