Graphic: cell phone data shows where Sturgis attendees went:

[tblue37]

Link to tweet

[soothsayer]

1. Hoo boy

[Wounded Bear]

2. Pretty much what anybody paying attention knew...

[unblock]

3. All worth it for some t-shirts, trinkets, and tattoos, right

[Marie Marie]

8. You forgot how they all got to dress up like some badass MoFos.

Costumes are fun. Hope they go with the ventilators they will be wearing. And we all pay the price.

[SergeStorms]

4. Thank Dog, New York looks mostly untouched.

Most New Yorkers are preconditioned against attending events like that, because we've been wearing masks and locked down for so long now. All it takes is one though, so I'm certainly not letting my guard down. Until I get some sort of vaccine in me, this old boy isn't taking any chances!

[dalton99a]

5. Kick

[progree]

6. As expected, the Twin Cities is the "brightest star" in the map, up there near the top, middle

*sigh*

[RVN VET71]

7. What organization had access to all that data?

I'm not doubting the representation of the post-sturges expansion of the plague, but I find it concerning that some entity had access to the cell phones of 250,000 people and could track their whereabouts from Sturgis to all compass points on the map.

[JDC]

12. Here is a link to the creators website

https://tectonix.com/who-we-are.html

[Tommymac]

14. Why be concerned? Simply anonymous cell phone tracking data.

Not hard to get if you know where or have contacts in the industry. Every cellular device phones it's location 'home' unless you turn that feature off - most people don't, they leave it on so the phone can be tracked if lost or stolen. The bikes themselves may also have 'OnStar' type devices equipped on them for accident and theft prevention.

The data we see is scrubbed so it is truly anonymous. The provider has access to the personal stuff; the Govt may (or may not) be able to get it via court order or warrant. However - See Apple.

[RVN VET71]

20. Gives me some little comfort.

But as the technology develops, it may make it easier for the government to get detailed info. I'm thinking of the Total Information Awareness that that dumb fool Admiral Poindexter tried to develop for George W. and the Dick -- that one was aimed, I think, specifically at credit card usage, but nowadays I suspect the TIA effort would also include cell phones -- if it were to be pursued.

But, thank you for the info. It appears that as of today the ability to track a cell phone users whereabouts is like the ability to identify cars by their color but not by their occupant.

[QED]

9. And...sex trafficking arrests

Eight arrested in sex trafficking investigation at Sturgis

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - An investigation into sex trafficking at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has resulted in the arrest of eight men in South Dakota.

U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons has announced that two of the men had been arrested on charges of attempting commercial sex trafficking of a minor.

Six others were arrested for attempting to entice a minor using the internet.

The investigation was conducted by both federal and South Dakota law enforcement officers and operated for the entire duration of the 10-day rally.


https://www.wbtv.com/2020/08/19/eight-arrested-sex-trafficking-investigation-sturgis/


Wwhole article has one more sentence about the number attending the rally.

[KS Toronado]

11. What, nobody rode their bikes from Hawaii or Alaska?

[Illumination]

13. Well that's comforting! Good news is that there will be lots of bad a** motorcycle bargains!

[Iggo]

15. Great reply.

"Almost enough to make you think that a gathering of a quarter-million people during a pandemic has a downside."

[Nevilledog]

16. Read an article yesterday that said attendance was closer to 500,000

[Iggo]

17. Some people gotta surf the tidal wave.

[JesterCS]

18. Jesus.....selfish assholes smh n/t

[PuraVidaDreamin]

19. Just in time for back to school

And Laconia is next...