Mobile Phone Data Show More Americans Are Leaving Their Homes, Despite Orders

Mobile Phone Data Show More Americans Are Leaving Their Homes, Despite Orders

Emerging data suggest that though people dramatically altered their habits to stay at home during the first month of America's response to the pandemic, that cooperation has since leveled off and — eventually — decreased. This could point to long-term challenges for state governments asking citizens to cooperate with extended stay-at-home policies.

The data, provided to NPR by a mobile phone location data company called SafeGraph, is based on the locations of about 18 million mobile phones across the country. NPR's analysis determined the percentage of cellphones that did not leave their "home" location daily in every U.S. county.

About 50% of those mobile phones that SafeGraph had data on stayed home on April 12, which was Easter — the highest point in the data. That number hasn't since come anywhere close, showing a steady decline with the most recent numbers showing that less than 40% stayed home on April 27.

The trend, SafeGraph says, is consistent across the entire country, though the degree to which movement is increasing is different. Some counties showed extreme drop-offs in social distancing, while some showed more mild curves.

"Regardless of what the orders say or the governors say, we're seeing the whole country softening up," says Nick Singh, a marketing lead at SafeGraph.

I live in one of the hardest hit counties in the country and my personal experience backs up this data.

Last weekend was beautiful out and people where out enjoying it. This weekend is just as nice and at least double the number of people are out.

I took my daughter for a drive today, her first since we have been on lockdown. The local roads where as congested as they might be on a nice Thursday before the pandemic.

The number of people in the garden department in Home depot was what you would expect before the pandemic; they where not 6 feet apart but it did look like everyone had have a mask on. I was some distance away in my car so could see everyones face.

Later the family took the dog for a walk and with the number of people we spoke to along the way you wouldn't even know their was a pandemic.

It will be interesting to see what direction the new cases count goes in the next two weeks. Hopefully they continue to drop; but if there is a large increase it will signal much longer lockdown orders. If they continue to fall there will be increased pressure for state governments to end the lockdowns ... and even if they don't people are going to stop listening more and more.

Almost two months now bro. It’s a Corona farce.

What do you expect? People to stay at home frantic for their lives?

The fact that there is still fear out there about this is baffling.

Some of us are your essentials that have to go to work not to mention the unemployment system is a mess. i head in at 5AM and traffic is back to normal and all business are back to normal.
I'm in Michigan and the total failure of our governor to communicate any reason for the lockdown other than I said so is talking down to people that are going to move forward no matter what. Treating your constutiants like children is not a good way to govern.

When I first read they we're using smartphones and blue tooth to track people, I began to leave my personal phone at home. My work phone is incapable of anything besides calls or text (ancient flip phone). Last 3 days my town seems to have permanent rush hour throughout the daylight hours.

originally posted by: Jason79
When I first read they we're using smartphones and blue tooth to track people, I began to leave my personal phone at home. My work phone is incapable of anything besides calls or text (ancient flip phone). Last 3 days my town seems to have permanent rush hour throughout the daylight hours.

That's a good point; how many phones in the study where left at home while their owns are out.

I'm not a big phone guy myself; so my cell stays in the house unless I'm going to work.

a reply to: mikell

Kind of hard to shop once a month when they won't let you buy enough to even last a week.

I did my weekly run to Lowes. The place is as busy as ever. They must be making a killing. People buying all kinds of stuff. About half the shoppers are wearing masks. One observation I have is that mask wearers vs. non-mask wearers seems to be along racial lines. Is that a thing or just something in my neighborhood?

Apple and Google say that starting next month they'll add new features to their mobile operating systems that make it possible for certain approved apps, run by government health agencies, to use Bluetooth radios to track physical proximity between phones.

www.wired.com...

This scares me, sure they claim it's op-in and limited to the government. But honestly the government, google, and apple are the people I distrust the most.

Farm store this morning national one. All employees in mask no customers. Place was typical Michigan Saturday morning busy. Went to large grocery store maybe 60% of customers with mask all employees again the place was crazy busy first of the month. Local hardware to order some glass cut this morning no employee mask none on customers. Went back 3-4 hours later to get the glass nobody in mask again. As far as race after 10 years in the hood trying to get along I live in a Lilly white area. Less stress. And thats all I'll say about that.

I've said all along they were going to have trouble getting people to stay in more than 4 weeks unless this thing got really bad.

In most places, it hasn't gotten really bad.

I have been out everyday , working and shopping. So has alot of people. Went to a local park today , people fishing, biking and hiking. Maintaning a distance mine you, but out and about.

This thing is bull #.

Everyone is realizing this has been a massive hoax.

Americans are getting pretty good at spotting hoaxes over the last 3+ years.

Too bad it is after the fact for most of them.

When I go on my daily walks, I always take my cell phone. I like to take pictures. I take my cell phone with me wherever I drive just in case my POS car breaks down. I go on drives but don’t stop anywhere, just going for a drive. Apparently these mobile phone providers cannot distinguish between people being out and about but not coming into contact with any people.

On my walk this afternoon, we had our first 70+ degree day since October 2019. It was beautiful and sunny outside. I saw quite a few cars on the road. The park two blocks from me had full tennis courts, and there were at least 10 people on the basketball court. More people walking, biking, jogging, etc. But I can still easily avoid people on my walks. I certainly hope they don’t tell people they cannot go outside to walk or ride their bike.

I think as the weather continues to warm up here, there will be more who just say the heck with it. Neighbors down the street a block or so were having a party in their garage. Nobody was social distancing, and nobody was wearing masks. I was sitting on my patio drinking wine and wishing I could crash their party. I would have brought my box of wine and my Ipad and played music for them. It’s just too darn nice to be cooped up indoors.

I think it will get to the point that more and more people will just do whatever and damn the consequences. Will have to see if cases in the states relaxing restrictions will go up, or if cases will go up everywhere.

a reply to: DanDanDat

GOOD!

Time for life to move on.

Mobile Phone Data Show More Americans Are Leaving Their Homes, Despite Orders

Even the military can disobey orders if the order is unconstitutional .

Yep. I've been out riding bike on one of the local bicycling/walking trails the past few weekends. You wouldn't even know anything was different if it wasn't for the rare occasional mask-wearer. Last Saturday the parking areas were so packed I almost couldn't find a spot.

a reply to: DanDanDat

Ah, what?

There are 50 states that all have various degrees of mandates and I don't believe any of them have stay at home orders so yeah more people are moving around.

Things are opening up.

The data provided was anonymized, meaning the locations of exact devices were hidden, with only general trends shown. Companies collecting mobile phone locations have been criticized over privacy concerns, though several have provided their data to researchers during the coronavirus crisis. The data from SafeGraph, which says it tracks only users who have "opted in" via mobile apps, was cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in an April report on COVID-19.

I like the "Companies...have been criticized over privacy concerns, though several have provided their data to researchers during the coronavirus crisis."

Thanks for attempting to legitimize it lol. Do these people think anyone will read this and say, what?

originally posted by: ColoradoJens
There are 50 states that all have various degrees of mandates and I don't believe any of them have stay at home orders so yeah more people are moving around.

All of PA is under stay at home orders.
health.pa.gov

Cant get much lighter hit than my county 10 cases since this entire thing started, we have been outside daily so have the neighbors, drive to base every other week to top off groceries and get out of the house for the wife and son.

I work one week on one week off right now, honestly expect it to be back to normal hours by june most likely.