this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2026
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Yes to most of what you're saying, but
No. That's what they want you to think. It does know a lot more than we think, but nowhere near everything. It likely does know where your phones (aka you if you're with it) are at all times, despite having GPS on or off. It also likely collects everything or most things you do online unless you're really careful with Tor and what not, even then it's not clear.
Many new phones have a bluetooth beacon that keeps working when the phone is "powered off".
https://www.sammobile.com/news/can-i-track-a-phone-that-is-switched-off/
"Some newer Samsung Galaxy models also feature enhanced tracking capabilities that work even when the main operating system is shut down. These phones can still be detected by nearby devices using Bluetooth Low Energy signals, similar to how Samsung Galaxy Tags work. This means your phone might still appear on the network even when it seems completely off to you."
https://techpp.com/2025/03/25/what-is-powered-off-finding/
"Powered Off Finding is a Find My Device feature available on Android 15 that allows you to track your lost or stolen Android phone even when it’s powered off.
...
Powered Off Finding requires specialized hardware on the phone itself to be trackable in a powered-off state. The way this works is that the phones that support the feature come with what’s called precomputed Bluetooth beacons in their Bluetooth controller."
Yep absolutely. All of these major phone companies work in tandem with the USG to create lots of backdoors. It's not a secret.