Why Turning Your Phone OFF Doesn’t Necessarily Hide Your Location Data
An increasingly intense debate is emerging around digital privacy, government surveillance, and the fundamental question of data ownership. On a recent episode of the Megyn Kelly Show, the Founder & CEO of Unplugged discussed how modern smartphones and cell carriers are constantly compromising user data, even when devices are supposedly turned off. The interview laid out the severe risks associated with mainstream phones and introduced a new, hardware-focused solution designed to put data sovereignty back into the hands of the individual.
The Legal and Technical Cracks in Digital Privacy
A core concern raised in the interview is the closeness between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and major tech companies, creating an environment where individual data is easily compromised. Crucially, the information collected from our phones and passed to third parties is generally not protected by the Fourth Amendment. This means that unlike a traditional wiretap, which requires a warrant and has specific legal hurdles, the immense stream of data flowing from a user’s phone is often readily accessible to government agencies.
The speakers emphasized that the issue isn’t a “back door” for government spying; the “front door is open”. This constant, unencrypted data stream allows individuals to be profiled and grouped in ways that could be leveraged during a political crisis or a change in government policy, posing a significant risk to civil liberties.
“Off” Does Not Mean Off
Perhaps the most startling claim is the myth of the power button. When a standard smartphone is software-powered down, it is still active. According to Unplugged’s CEO, even when an iPhone or Android is completely off, it is “still pinging towers, it’s still pinging Wi-Fi,” continuously building a “digital breadcrumb trail” of the user’s location and activity.
Furthermore, the data retention policies of cell carriers compound the problem. Carriers permanently track and save a phone’s location, along with all call records and the content of SMS messages. This carrier data is distinct from the information on the phone itself, representing a second, persistent layer of surveillance that remains even if the user attempts to secure their device.
The Insane Rate of Data Leakage
To quantify the privacy problem, the Unplugged team cited a recent test conducted by a cyber security firm comparing an iPhone with the privacy setting “Ask App not to track” selected, against the privacy-focused “up phone”. The results revealed a staggering difference in network traffic over a single hour:
- The iPhone, with only 33 common apps installed (like Spotify and Pinterest), made 3,100 calls to known data harvesters.
- In that same hour, the iPhone transacted 210,000 packets of data.
- This translates to over 60 packets of data transmitted per second.
Even when the phone was sitting idle, the apps were “ravenously” phoning home, constantly transmitting signals about the phone’s status, such as whether it was in portrait or landscape mode, and if the user was moving, standing still, or running. This flow of information is highly valuable for building a comprehensive personal profile.
Introducing the Privacy-First “Up Phone”
In response to these systemic vulnerabilities, Unplugged developed the “up phone,” a device built from the ground up to protect constitutional rights and ensure data sovereignty.
The phone incorporates both software and hardware solutions:
- The Physical “Kill Switch”
The most notable feature is a physical kill switch that “physically separates, air gaps the battery from the electronic”. By using this feature, users can guarantee that the phone is truly off, preventing it from emitting any electricity or pinging towers, a crucial function for individuals in highly sensitive environments. The phone also allows users to hard-switch off individual components, such as the microphone, camera, GPS, and Wi-Fi, at the root level. - Zero Data Retention
The company’s business model is built around never holding unencrypted customer data. If a government agency were to subpoena user data, Unplugged would have nothing to provide. For example, their photo and video storage service is encrypted from them (unlike Apple’s iCloud), meaning they literally do not possess the key to unlock the data. - The Pond SIM
To combat the cell carrier tracking issue, Unplugged created Pond, a data-only SIM for the phone. Normal phone calls made through a carrier network are retained indefinitely. Pond allows users to make calls only through encrypted apps like Signal, and its most critical feature is that it deletes location information every 24 hours. If a government agency asks for the location history, there is simply no data beyond the last 24 hours to retrieve.
A Different Philosophy: Encouraging Time Away
A key difference between Unplugged and mainstream phone providers is the philosophy around usage. Mainstream companies are financially motivated to keep users on their phones for as long as possible. Unplugged has no financial interest in usage.
To encourage users to disengage, the phone includes a “Time Away” feature (instead of “Screen Time”). This feature shows the user the exact time since the last unlock, helping them build “time away” from the screen and feel good about their detachment.
Despite its focus on privacy, the “up phone” is designed to function as an ordinary device, supporting all major apps and services, including Google Maps and YouTube, which operate normally without Google Mobile Services constantly leaking data in the background, [0f10:44]. Furthermore, because the apps are not constantly streaming unnecessary data to third parties, the battery life is significantly longer.
The “up phone” is currently available to purchase from unplug.com and is also sold in Best Buy. The service works with AT&T and T-Mobile networks and is currently expanding shipping to Canada and the UK.
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