Topic: Triangulation

Professor Claire Jean Kim discussed her theory of "racial triangulation" on a Slate podcast, exploring how Asian Americans are positioned between Black and White populations. She argued that Asian Americans are often viewed as "superior" to Black people but "more foreign" than White people, a concept she is expanding in her upcoming book.

A former employee of a UAE-based telecom provider explains how Location-Based Services (LBS) use cell tower triangulation to send targeted SMS ads to mall shoppers. Listeners provide examples of "creepy" ad targeting, where products discussed in person or purchased at brick-and-mortar stores appear as ads on unrelated devices. The discussion explores how shared networks and credit card data facilitate this cross-platform tracking.

Adam Curry details his experiment using a legacy two-way pager to replace his smartphone and avoid cellular triangulation. He describes the "digital detox" experience at a social event, where his use of a pager drew both ridicule and curiosity. The pager operates on a 900MHz network, providing a slower but more private alternative to modern SMS and data tracking.

Law enforcement identified the Austin serial bomber, Mark Anthony Conditt, using Google search history, cell phone triangulation, and specialized battery purchase receipts. The suspect died after detonating an explosive in his vehicle as police closed in. The discussion covers the local law enforcement's role, the suspect's background as a homeschooled electrical engineering student, and the personal feeling of living in a city under threat.

ShotSpotter is a gunfire detection system that uses acoustic triangulation to pinpoint shooting incidents in major cities like Oakland and San Francisco. The hosts question why ShotSpotter data from the Boston Bombing has not been released to clarify the timeline of the shootout between police and the Tsarnaev brothers. They suggest the system is capable of much broader audio surveillance than is publicly admitted.