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> private location diary > you can be sure your data stays secure and private. By using the Google Maps API you grant Google the rights to your data to use as

by chippy 11y ago

> private location diary > you can be sure your data stays secure and private. By using the Google Maps API you grant Google the rights to your data to use as they see fit. You cannot have private or secure data if you use the Google Maps API. (edits: however, I think if you pay Google for the premium or business access to the Google Maps API, then Google does not claim their rights to your data)

PaulRobinson 11y ago
Would prefer it if it used OSM anyway, which I can also run my own version of if I am little twisted. Basically, with a bit of work, you could produce a completely-self-hosted solution where there are no calls going out anywhere to anything you don't host yourself. That's progress to my mind. Just needs a little more work to get there. If I didn't have family over this weekend...
- dvfjsdhgfv 11y ago
  Thank you for thinking about this. I'm starting to think that self-hosted is the open source of today - the web is increasingly *aaS-centric, and users don't even have the idea it's not the only way.
- maxerickson 11y ago
  A medium term solution is to use one of the apps that provide OSM data offline. For a medium sized region, the download might only be 100 MB. Unless you are in Germany (or some other region where OSM data is particularly dense).
binarybucks 11y ago
Hi, creator of the Owntracks Android app here. I'm absolutely with you that you cannot have private and secure location data when using any Google services. Indeed, Owntracks does use Google Maps and the Google Play Services location APIs and your location data is likely sent to Google when using the app and we're very clear that this is the case. However, when using Android, it's almost impossible to not send any personal data to Google when using an Android phone (or to Apple if you're using an iPhone). Hence, we decided to not use any third party location or APIs and for several reasons: 1) Google likely has your location data anyway because you're using their operating system 2) I personally would trust my data to Google than any third party that's not that closely monitored by others. We tried to integrate Mapbox as Mapping provider for the 0.5.x release until they likewise started gathering user data. Thus the next version switches back to Google Maps. 3) The offered location APIs are much easier on the battery life than any third party solution 4) We develop Owntracks in our spare time and receive no funding whatsoever. Hence, the time that we can invest into the integration of other Maps or location providers is very limited. Besides that, Owntracks does allow you to store your location data on your own infrastructure. You are free to choose whatever you want with that data and you're not trusting a third party (besides Google) with your data. Personally I think that this isn't a perfect solution, but it is as good as it gets for the majority of smartphones. If that isn't good enough with you that's fine and I totally understand that. In that case, simply don't use the app and build something that you can trust entirely. E.g. some people from our development team are happily tracking their cars with a hardware appliance that is Owntracks compatible [1] [1] jpmens.net/2014/06/14/owntracks-in-a-vehicle-choral-greenwich
- chippy 11y ago
  I'd be interested to hear about Mapbox starting to gather user data. Did they change their terms?
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]

by chippy 11y ago

PaulRobinson 11y ago

Would prefer it if it used OSM anyway, which I can also run my own version of if I am little twisted. Basically, with a bit of work, you could produce a completely-self-hosted solution where there are no calls going out anywhere to anything you don't host yourself. That's progress to my mind. Just needs a little more work to get there. If I didn't have family over this weekend...

dvfjsdhgfv 11y ago
Thank you for thinking about this. I'm starting to think that self-hosted is the open source of today - the web is increasingly *aaS-centric, and users don't even have the idea it's not the only way.
maxerickson 11y ago
A medium term solution is to use one of the apps that provide OSM data offline. For a medium sized region, the download might only be 100 MB. Unless you are in Germany (or some other region where OSM data is particularly dense).

binarybucks 11y ago

Hi, creator of the Owntracks Android app here. I'm absolutely with you that you cannot have private and secure location data when using any Google services. Indeed, Owntracks does use Google Maps and the Google Play Services location APIs and your location data is likely sent to Google when using the app and we're very clear that this is the case. However, when using Android, it's almost impossible to not send any personal data to Google when using an Android phone (or to Apple if you're using an iPhone). Hence, we decided to not use any third party location or APIs and for several reasons: 1) Google likely has your location data anyway because you're using their operating system 2) I personally would trust my data to Google than any third party that's not that closely monitored by others. We tried to integrate Mapbox as Mapping provider for the 0.5.x release until they likewise started gathering user data. Thus the next version switches back to Google Maps. 3) The offered location APIs are much easier on the battery life than any third party solution 4) We develop Owntracks in our spare time and receive no funding whatsoever. Hence, the time that we can invest into the integration of other Maps or location providers is very limited. Besides that, Owntracks does allow you to store your location data on your own infrastructure. You are free to choose whatever you want with that data and you're not trusting a third party (besides Google) with your data. Personally I think that this isn't a perfect solution, but it is as good as it gets for the majority of smartphones. If that isn't good enough with you that's fine and I totally understand that. In that case, simply don't use the app and build something that you can trust entirely. E.g. some people from our development team are happily tracking their cars with a hardware appliance that is Owntracks compatible [1] [1] jpmens.net/2014/06/14/owntracks-in-a-vehicle-choral-greenwich

chippy 11y ago
I'd be interested to hear about Mapbox starting to gather user data. Did they change their terms?
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]