I'm listening to a topic on 'cellphone tracking' on the news in the background right now and I want to ask whether or not you believe in it.

I personally consider it an invasion of privacy. I don't even think people under the age of 18 or so have the need for a cellphone. The only case I can see where it would be useful is if you're stuck somewhere (ie: school) and there's no access to a phone, otherwise it's unnecessary. You can blab to your friends at home! Supposedly AT&T is offering the service as something similar to MSN Messenger where you only allow certain people (ie: friends) to keep tabs on you, like a buddy list. Although, then I say, the purpose is rendered useless. You can call your friend if this is to be the case. (Many) girls should have a cellphone surgically attached to their face.

I can see how it could help people in some sort of emergency situations but i'm against it. Well i understand some kids have cellphones and I think its a good idea for parents to know where their kids at all times. Kids start going out more once they hit 16 so it may not be a bad idea but not in schools/classes of course. All schools I have been to always have public phones if needed.

ok what was the original point of this thread?
if it was tracking cell phones..its possible and u can mask it
and i wanna add my 2 cents on another topic
my school is stupid, they dont allow cell phones and they dont have public phones either. i bought a cell right after 9/11 coz that day was crazy for me and long story short the school banned all phones a year after, its unfair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yeah well we crossed over 2 different topics Mobile Tracking and Kid's that have Mobiles... i dont like the tracking idea it just seems like more big brother spying on everyone I just dont like the idea. I think all schools should have public phones in them i dont understand why they dont but having mobiles in the class room shouldnt be allowed. In university before the lecture starts everyone turns off their mobiles and thats how it should be of course. If your still at highschool then just keep your phone turned off till your out of the school on break or after school and then turn it back on nobody will know.

I personaly dont mind being tracked lol my life is so hmmm hectic and boreing at the same time for me its a pain in the arse but to anyone not living it im sure its pretty pedestrian. I think they should be able to locate a cell phone (and they already can to a point) with a cell phone you can only "talk" to any 2-3 towers at a time so using the 2 or 3 you are currently using they can kind of triangulate where you are. I think the only people who they would bother tracking right now would be like suspected terrorist or drug dealers.

I've always dreamed of having such a function...to be tracked by your friends. I think the first time I thought about this was a few years back when I was in Hong Kong. When you're in Hong Kong, no matter if you're a local or a tourist...You are going to go out...A LOT. I often run into friends or when I do call them I find out I am like fairly close to where they are. So it would be awesome to just check my phone and to see where my friends are. But when I'm in Vancouver...If I used such a function...People will find out...I'm at home like 99 percent of the time. Hahhaa...

As for kids with cel phones...hmm...I guess once again it comes down to where you live. In HK there are no more phone booths anymore because everyone (even my grandma) has a cel phone. My grandma wants the biggest cel phones available because the small ones have small numbers and she can't read them. Hahaha...Anyways, kids in HK need it and I think to a certain point having a cel phone is just convenient even for kids. They could call home...and have no excuse as to not being able to find a phone etc.

Cel phones in highschool are a different issue. I actually agree with actz...in highschool you should just leave your phone off until school is out. But I wouldn't ban them. In uni and college...People just put their phones on silent. Sometimes people forget but...then everyone stares at them and it's gonna be hard for that person to forget again next time.

I once had a prof that told everyone on the first day that cel phones must be off or silent...otherwise there will be consequences...Then a few classes later...This girl's phone rings she hangs up on it right away...while she was fumbling with the phone, her friend calls back immediately. After the first time it rang...the prof was pissed and the second time it rang he told her to get out. By the way...The prof really looked like Hitler..I don't know if that has any relations...

I'm for it and against it.... (Bah, I hate seeing both sides of the issue... but here it goes...)

FOR
Ok, I like the idea for many things. But, just to start off, here are some I thought of (or got ideas from other posts)
Emergencies
Very good useage here. If you're out in the middle of nowhere driving around, and have a bad wreck, and are badly injured (maybe so bad you can't speak well) you could press a button on your phone, and if the operator can't understand you, they can get a track on your number, and by doing that they can get an exact location of your phone, and be able to arrive at the scene, even if you didn't tell them how to get there.
Recreational
Three words: Hide and Seek.
No, really now. Ever go to a large amuesment park with a few friends, get seperated, and spend hours trying to find each other? Well, you could CALL each other........ now I thought of that I just killed this idea...

I guess just emergency use there...

AGAINST
One word: Privacy. I wouldn't like the government to know more about me than they already do. Sure, they know my name, where I live, what I drive, where I go to school at, what bank I use, what sites I visit, what stores I shop at, what taxes I have/haven't paid, where my other home is, everything concerning my ID, my age, my sex, but do I really want them knowing my every step? Nope.

Sure, it has many good uses but there are always negatives.

one thing i forgot to mention is that "no cell phones policy" is
strictly enforced in my school. every morning i go through the metal ditector and put
my bag through thru x ray machine so the security dudes see all electronics right away
....even of they had public phones they would be broken tight away
(we dont even have lockers because people might deal drugs form it)

sorry if im steering the topic to this

You live in NYC, so... The reason cellphones weren't allowed at my middle school is because this way a time where bomb threats were common (this way a nice town too ). It was required that everyone pass their bags through a metal detector and recommended that you buy a mesh backpack to make it an easier process. Yep, that was sort of a pain in the arse.

I just think that...Some kids feel they need a phone to keep in social contact...to blab...it's a need they feel. I don't see how it can differ from us "needing" to be on our computers. But I do understand how it can be irratating.

yeah i really wouldnt want the gov. to know where i am , what i do and stuff. and i hav the same prob in my skool

i dont use my phone much. i use to so if anyone tracked my fone they wod get the constant prblem of flat battery, flat as a pancake! i haven't bothered to charge my fone for about 2 weeks now.