Why Your ‘Dead’ Phone Is Still Tracking You

Your Phone Is Off… But Is It Really?

You turn off your phone. The screen goes black. No notifications. No lights. It’s dead, right?

Not exactly.

Even with zero battery, airplane mode on, and power completely cut, your phone isn’t truly offline. Because modern devices never fully turn off.

This isn’t some wild conspiracy or fear mongering—it’s a fundamental part of how today’s technology is designed.

Your phone isn’t just a communication tool with a few data-collection features. It’s a surveillance device that also happens to make calls.

The “off” button doesn’t work the way you think it does. And the more you rely on it, the easier you make tracking.

The Hidden Processor You Can’t Disable

Every modern device—your phone, laptop, even your smart TV—has a secondary processor running beneath the surface.

It’s independent from your main system, operating in the background even when your device appears dead. And it has full access to critical components—your mic, camera, GPS, and network.

These chips are built directly into the hardware:

• Intel’s Management Engine (IME): A separate microcontroller embedded in Intel CPUs that runs its own operating system, independent of your main processor.

• AMD’s Platform Security Processor (PSP): AMD’s equivalent to Intel’s IME, handling encryption and remote management.

• Apple’s Secure Enclave: A dedicated chip that stores sensitive data like Face ID and Touch ID information, ensuring security even during a factory reset.

This isn’t speculation. These features exist, and you don’t get to opt out. Tech companies have made sure of that.

And because these chips function separately from your main processor, they remain active even when you think your device is completely powered down.

And that’s not even the worst part.

Your Phone Is “Off”… So Why Is It Still Sending Signals?

You shut down your phone. The screen is black. But in the background, it’s still connecting—to Wi-Fi networks, to cell towers, to nearby Bluetooth devices.

Even airplane mode doesn’t stop it.

Modern devices don’t actually turn off. They just shift into a low-power, stealth mode.

The Hidden Power Source Keeping Your Phone Alive

You might assume that when your battery dies, your phone is completely shut down. But most modern devices have a secondary power reserve that keeps certain processes running even when your phone appears off.

• Residual Power Storage: Many smartphones store enough power in capacitors to run background processes for hours after being “dead.”

• Intel’s Anti-Theft Battery Reserve: Some laptops can transmit location pings for days—even without power.

• Apple’s Offline Tracking Chip: Since iOS 15, iPhones can still be located when powered off. This wasn’t added for your benefit—it was added for theirs.

• Motherboard Power Supply: Many secondary processors, like Intel’s Management Engine and AMD’s PSP, can draw power directly from the motherboard, allowing them to function even when the device is turned off. This enables background activity such as firmware updates, network handshakes, and logging system data.

This backup power isn’t a bug. It’s a feature. Devices are designed to stay reachable, even when they’re supposedly turned off.

And that means shutting down your phone doesn’t necessarily mean it’s stopped tracking.

Airplane Mode: The Fake Kill Switch That Lets Your Phone Keep Spying

Airplane Mode is supposed to cut off all wireless communication. That’s the whole point, right? But if you’ve ever noticed your phone still connecting to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth after enabling it, you’ve seen the problem firsthand.

This isn’t a glitch—it’s intentional.

In 2021, researchers discovered that iPhones in Airplane Mode were still sending location data to Apple. Android devices, too, continue scanning for Bluetooth signals, even when the user believes all connections are shut down. And even if you manually disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, certain chips are programmed to reconnect in the background.

Airplane Mode doesn’t fully disconnect you. It just reduces certain signals while keeping key surveillance functions running. It’s not a true "off switch"—it’s a way to make you feel disconnected while critical tracking features stay online.

That’s where things get even darker.

You Cut the Power… But Your Phone Still Knows Where You Are

At this point, you might be thinking, "Fine. I’ll just shut it down, remove the battery, and keep it in a drawer."

Nice try! In some ways, it helps—but only temporarily.

Even when powered down, your phone logs its last known location, nearby networks, and connected devices.

The second you turn it back on, it syncs everything that happened while it was “off.” That’s because modern smartphones—especially from Apple, Samsung, and Google—contain low-power tracking chips that function separately from the main processor.

Meet the Covert Tracking Chips Built to Survive “Off” Mode

• Baseband Processors: Your phone’s cellular modem operates independently from the main processor and can remain active in low-power states. Even when turned off, modern devices store connection data and sync it once powered back on.

• NFC & UWB Ping Backdoors: Features like Near Field Communication (NFC) and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) remain active even when your phone is powered down, allowing nearby devices—like smart speakers or retail beacons—to track your presence. While they do not all transmit when fully powered off, past interactions are logged and can be synced when the device turns back on.

• Find My Network Exploits: Apple’s Find My network doesn’t require a Wi-Fi or cellular connection. Instead, it piggybacks off other Apple devices nearby, silently transmitting your location even when your phone is turned off… if Low-Power Mode is enabled before shutdown.

Your phone doesn’t need its main battery to function. It’s designed to stay traceable, even in a low-power state.

But this isn’t just about your phone knowing where you are.

It’s about everyone else knowing, too.

The Surveillance Economy: Who’s Buying Your “Off-Mode” Data?

If you think only governments care about this level of tracking, you’re missing the bigger picture. Because while agencies like the NSA and FBI definitely exploit these systems, they’re not the only ones watching.

Your phone’s location and metadata are for sale right now, and the buyers aren’t just law enforcement.

• Data Brokers: Companies like Venntel, Gravy Analytics, and X-Mode buy real-time location data from apps and sell it to whoever is willing to pay.

• Retail & Marketing Giants: Stores like Walmart and Target use passive tracking to analyze how often you visit and how long you stay—even when your phone is “off.”

• Foreign Governments & Hackers: In 2022, a leaked Pentagon memo revealed that foreign adversaries were actively purchasing U.S. location data from third-party brokers, bypassing the need for cyberattacks altogether.

Your offline data isn’t private. It’s profitable.

And if corporations, governments, and foreign actors are all willing to pay for it, the real question is:

Who’s using it against you right now?

Think You Can Hide? Here’s Why “Privacy Tricks” Don’t Work

At this point, you might be thinking, "Okay, but I can outsmart this. I’ll use a Faraday bag, switch to Linux, or disable location services."

I wish it were that simple.

Because the harsh truth is this: Most so-called privacy solutions don’t actually stop your devices from tracking you. They just make you feel like you have control—while the surveillance machine keeps running in the background.

Why a Faraday Bag Won’t Make You Invisible

Faraday bags block signals, right? So, in theory, putting your phone in one should cut off all tracking.

Except… it doesn’t.

• Your phone stores location logs. The second you take it out, it uploads everything it couldn’t send while inside the bag.

• Offline tracking still works. Bluetooth, NFC, and Wi-Fi logs remain intact, allowing nearby devices to retroactively track where you’ve been.

• Power reserves keep critical functions alive. Remember how phones have backup power sources? A Faraday bag doesn’t stop the chips inside from continuing to collect data.

• Faraday Bags aren’t soundproof.

Think of it like locking a door, but the walls are made of glass. The tracking doesn’t stop—it just pauses.

Does Using Linux or De-Googled Phones Make You Safer?

A lot of people assume that switching to Linux or using a de-Googled phone means instant privacy. And while it’s better than using mainstream devices, it doesn’t solve the core problem.

Why? Because the issue isn’t just software—it’s the hardware itself.

• Intel and AMD’s tracking backdoors are baked into the CPU. Even if you wipe your operating system, these hidden microprocessors still run in the background.

• Apple’s Secure Enclave is hardcoded into every iPhone. Even if you jailbreak or wipe the device, the chip remains functional and untouchable.

• Every modern phone still relies on network providers. No matter how much you de-Google your device, it still pings cell towers that log your movements.

De-Googled phones help reduce data collection. But they don’t eliminate it. Because at the end of the day, you’re still using the same compromised hardware.

So What Actually Works? The Brutal Truth About Going Dark

If you want real privacy, you have to make serious sacrifices. And for most people, it’s not convenient—or even possible.

The only way to escape this level of surveillance is to ditch mainstream tech entirely. That means:

• Using devices that don’t have Intel ME, AMD PSP, or Apple’s Secure Enclave.

• Switching to open-source, privacy-hardened hardware. Think System76, Purism laptops, and de-Googled phones that disable cellular modems.

• Using a non-traceable internet connection. That means no personal Wi-Fi, no home IP address, and no accounts tied to your real identity.

And for full transparency—this is hard.

Most people won’t do it. Because true privacy means giving up convenience, speed, and the seamless integration we’ve been trained to love.

But here’s the thing…

If you don’t control your tech, it controls you.

The question isn’t whether you should care about this. It’s whether you’re willing to let your data, your habits, and your location be exploited for the rest of your life.

Because staying in the system is easy. But leaving it? That’s where things get interesting.

How to Break the System: Making Surveillance Too Expensive to Be Worth It

If you’ve made it this far, you get it. You see how deep this runs. And now, you’re probably wondering:

If I can’t fully escape surveillance, what’s the next best option?

Simple. You make tracking you an expensive nightmare.

Governments and corporations love mass surveillance because it’s cheap, automated, and effortless. The second you force them to spend extra time and resources tracking you, you become a problem—one they’d rather not deal with.

So, let’s make you expensive.

Corrupt Their Data: The Art of Digital Misdirection

Your data profile isn’t just built from location tracking. It’s a web of metadata—search history, app usage, ad clicks, behavior patterns. If you can’t erase yourself, the next best thing is to poison your data so that it becomes unreliable.

Here’s how:

• Randomize your online footprint. Use multiple browsers—Brave for some searches, Tor for others, LibreWolf for something else entirely. Every time you switch, you break the algorithm trying to profile you.

• Create false interests. Click on things you don’t actually care about. If you’re into cybersecurity, start watching videos on medieval bread-making. Break your recommendation feeds so they don’t actually reflect your real life. Use shopping cart hacktivism to become a member of expensive Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) groups and drain their money.

• Confuse location tracking with fake signals. Apps like RethinkDNS can route location data through random points, tricking trackers into thinking you’re somewhere you’re not.

The goal? Flood the system with so much noise that your real data gets buried.

Stop Using an Identifiable Device for Everything

Most people make tracking stupidly easy by keeping one device for everything—social media, banking, work, navigation, communication. That’s a mistake.

• Use different devices for different tasks. One phone for personal use, one for anonymous browsing. One laptop for work, one for security research. You can even use different operating systems for different things. Use something like Qubes or Tails OS to compartmentalize tracking.

• Rotate SIM cards. If you must use a phone, swap out prepaid SIM cards (make sure you follow my instructions for actually using a burner phone anonymously!) regularly to break long-term tracking.

• Change your MAC address frequently. Your device has a unique identifier that Wi-Fi networks log when you connect. Apps like MAC Changer on Linux can randomize this so you don’t leave a consistent digital fingerprint.

Even if you don’t fully disappear, you become inconsistent, unpredictable, expensive, and hard to track.

Refuse to Be Predictable: Break Your Routines

Think about this—how much of your life is predictable?

• You wake up at the same time.

• You take the same routes.

• You go to the same places, shop at the same stores, interact with the same devices.

That’s what makes tracking easy. The more predictable you are, the easier it is for algorithms to pinpoint your habits and anticipate your moves.

Break that pattern.

• Take different routes home. Even if it’s slightly inconvenient, break up GPS patterns.

• Use cash whenever possible. Credit card purchases create a timestamped location log that follows you everywhere.

• Buy burner devices in random locations. If you get a de-Googled phone, don’t order it online. Pay cash at a third-party reseller—preferably one far from where you live.

If they can’t predict your movements, you’re no longer an easy target.

Make Your Data Useless to the Surveillance Economy

Every company tracking you does it for one reason—profit. If you cut off the financial incentive, you cut off the surveillance.

• Use privacy-focused services. ProtonMail, Signal, Mullvad VPN—stop giving free data to companies that thrive on surveillance.

• Opt out of data broker lists. Services like DeleteMe (what I use) can remove your personal info from hundreds of public databases.

• Block trackers at the network level. Set up Pi-hole on your home network to filter out spyware and tracking scripts before they even load.

Every step you take makes the system work harder to get anything useful from you.

And at a certain point? They stop trying.

The System Wants You to Give Up—So Don’t

Let’s be real: they want you to believe this is impossible. That resisting is pointless. That privacy is dead, so you might as well hand over your data and accept it.

But that’s a lie.

Privacy isn’t dead. It’s just inconvenient.

And inconvenience is exactly what makes surveillance unprofitable.

You don’t have to be a ghost. You don’t have to be perfect.

You just have to be difficult.

Because the harder you make tracking you, the less profitable it becomes for the tech bro oligarchy. And when the system realizes you’re not worth the effort?

We win.

They Want You to Think This Is Inevitable—It’s Not

Right now, the system is betting on your apathy.

They expect you to say, “Well, that sucks, but what can I do?”

They want you to feel powerless. They want you to give up before you even start. Because the truth is—if enough people push back, the system breaks.

Mass surveillance only works when everyone cooperates. It thrives on compliance. It feeds on your willingness to trade convenience for privacy, to keep using the same compromised devices, to let Big Tech and government agencies write the rules.

But the second you stop playing their game?

You become dangerous.

What Happens When Enough People Stop Complying?

Imagine if millions of people suddenly stopped handing over their data for free.

• If every person encrypted their messages (use Signal), governments wouldn’t have backdoor access to your conversations.

• If everyone stopped using mainstream social media, companies like Meta and Google would lose the fuel that powers their tracking & advertising empires.

• If people switched to privacy-first hardware, manufacturers would be forced to change their business models—or lose control over the market entirely.

The system isn’t invincible. It’s just unchallenged.

This Fight Is Bigger Than You—And That’s the Point

Maybe you’re thinking, “Okay, but what does it matter if just one person—me—does this?”

It matters because you’re not just one person.

Every time you refuse to be an easy target, you make mass surveillance less efficient. Every time you use encrypted services, you make backdoors less valuable. Every time you reject data-harvesting platforms, you make surveillance less profitable.

Privacy isn’t about hiding. It’s about resisting.

It’s about rejecting the idea that your personal information is just another commodity to be bought, sold, and exploited.

You Decide Who Controls Your Data—No One Else

This is the bottom line: Either you own your data, or someone else does.

There is no middle ground.

No one is coming to save you. No corporation, no government, no tech company is going to voluntarily give you back your privacy. It’s up to you.

But the moment you start taking control?

The moment you stop handing over your data like it’s worthless?

That’s the moment you stop being a product—and start being a person again.

Stay Curious,

Addie LaMarr