Residue On Your Cellphone Can Reveal More About You Than You Ever Thought Possible

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Photo credit: bigstock.com

In many ways, cell phones have become tracking devices. We all know that they can reveal a lot of information about you, such as your location, who you called, and when you called someone. And if you have a smartphone, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. All the metadata we accumulate can tell both hackers and the government about where we shop, what we like to eat, the types of food and entertainment we enjoy, and so much more. This has led to a debate about the need to respect individuals’ privacy in today’s digital interconnected era.

But what if we told you that even if you changed all your apps to the maximum privacy settings, disabled cookies, and only browsed the web in private viewing mode, that the powers that be could still find information about you? It’s true, and believe it or not, it has nothing to do with your metadata or phone records.

Scientists have discovered that residue from skin contact and trace elements of food and drink found on our cell phones can reveal a staggering amount of information about our lives. In this article, you’ll learn how even if you follow every Edward Snowden-prescribed privacy precaution, your phone can still give away your secrets.

You have probably seen it before: One day, you use your cell phone after working out, or before you’ve had a chance to wash your face. You look down after your call and see an almost greasy imprint left from your hand or cheek. It turns out that this happens all the time, even if it is not visible, and these residues can reveal a lot about our lifestyles, health, diets, and more.

A group of scientists at the University of California, San Diego has discovered that taking a simple cotton swab of a cell phone could reveal all such information, and it could have profound implications in areas from medical research to law enforcement.

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