4 ms·

I think there is a difference between allowing ads to target an area and selling someone's real time location. I'm against the collection of data generally beca

I think there is a difference between allowing ads to target an area and selling someone's real time location. I'm against the collection of data generally because that data can always end up in court, but Google has never given people access to my real time location.

mschuster91 8y ago
> but Google has never given people access to my real time location. As long as your Google account remains secured and no one manages to sneak a 2nd Google Account on your phone, that is. Find My Phone is a real time tracker that can be abused e.g. by spouses or stalkers. IIRC only triggering the "audible ring" leaves a trace on the phone (a notification + the obvious sound), to check if someone used FMP for tracking one has to dive deep into the Google Activity Logs. Only way to protect yourself is, of course, to disable GPS on the phone - but what if you want to use Maps or another navigation at the same time?
- deleted 8y ago
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- sbov 8y ago
  Yeah, if someone hacks my phone/account, then they will have access to my location. If that happens them having my location ranks pretty low on my list of concerns. The recommendation that you could disable GPS is pointless because if they could sneak a 2nd account on it they can also re-enable GPS. Cell phone companies have your location regardless of whether or not GPS is enabled. You don't even need a smart phone.
- 124816 8y ago
  > IIRC only triggering the "audible ring" leaves a trace on the phone (a notification + the obvious sound), to check if someone used FMP for tracking one has to dive deep into the Google Activity Logs. Not true, a notification is shown whenever the device is located. Though if someone can "sneak a 2nd Google Account" onto your phone they can probably install something more nefarious and less observable.
- StillBored 8y ago
  We are talking the cell providers here, disabling GPS only slows down the initial positioning as LTE has a number of alternative ways to determine your location. That is required in places like the US were its mandated by law (E911 IIRC) that the providers are capable of providing your location to government services in real time (like 911). So, the fact that the providers are keeping tabs on you and storing all that metadata for some government agency (cause you might be dangerous!), just means that they have discovered a way to recoup some of the investment costs. Thank your government, because the phone companies likely wouldn't have been this creative by themselves.
drak0n1c 8y ago
Google's own location timeline also can be used in court, and is updated in near real-time.[1] Practically speaking, I would think that Google's data is even more susceptible to be found in court and used in that manner than data held and passed on by smaller, relatively unknown apps that lawyers may not even know are installed on locked phones. You have a good point about there being a larger surface area and more weak points when more than one entity handles data, but I'd also be wary of heavy-handed regulations along that dividing line. I don't think we need to give Google monopoly rights to another big chunk of the ad industry. If a user might prefer an entity other than Google handle certain pieces of their data (maybe they strike a more transparent and rewarding deal than Google), they should have that choice. [1] https://theintercept.com/2015/11/06/how-law-enforcement-can-use-google-timeline-to-track-your-every-move/ https://theintercept.com/2015/11/06/how-law-enforcement-can-...

mschuster91 8y ago

> but Google has never given people access to my real time location. As long as your Google account remains secured and no one manages to sneak a 2nd Google Account on your phone, that is. Find My Phone is a real time tracker that can be abused e.g. by spouses or stalkers. IIRC only triggering the "audible ring" leaves a trace on the phone (a notification + the obvious sound), to check if someone used FMP for tracking one has to dive deep into the Google Activity Logs. Only way to protect yourself is, of course, to disable GPS on the phone - but what if you want to use Maps or another navigation at the same time?

deleted 8y ago
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deleted 8y ago
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sbov 8y ago
Yeah, if someone hacks my phone/account, then they will have access to my location. If that happens them having my location ranks pretty low on my list of concerns. The recommendation that you could disable GPS is pointless because if they could sneak a 2nd account on it they can also re-enable GPS. Cell phone companies have your location regardless of whether or not GPS is enabled. You don't even need a smart phone.
124816 8y ago
> IIRC only triggering the "audible ring" leaves a trace on the phone (a notification + the obvious sound), to check if someone used FMP for tracking one has to dive deep into the Google Activity Logs. Not true, a notification is shown whenever the device is located. Though if someone can "sneak a 2nd Google Account" onto your phone they can probably install something more nefarious and less observable.
StillBored 8y ago
We are talking the cell providers here, disabling GPS only slows down the initial positioning as LTE has a number of alternative ways to determine your location. That is required in places like the US were its mandated by law (E911 IIRC) that the providers are capable of providing your location to government services in real time (like 911). So, the fact that the providers are keeping tabs on you and storing all that metadata for some government agency (cause you might be dangerous!), just means that they have discovered a way to recoup some of the investment costs. Thank your government, because the phone companies likely wouldn't have been this creative by themselves.

drak0n1c 8y ago

Google's own location timeline also can be used in court, and is updated in near real-time.[1] Practically speaking, I would think that Google's data is even more susceptible to be found in court and used in that manner than data held and passed on by smaller, relatively unknown apps that lawyers may not even know are installed on locked phones. You have a good point about there being a larger surface area and more weak points when more than one entity handles data, but I'd also be wary of heavy-handed regulations along that dividing line. I don't think we need to give Google monopoly rights to another big chunk of the ad industry. If a user might prefer an entity other than Google handle certain pieces of their data (maybe they strike a more transparent and rewarding deal than Google), they should have that choice. [1] https://theintercept.com/2015/11/06/how-law-enforcement-can-use-google-timeline-to-track-your-every-move/ https://theintercept.com/2015/11/06/how-law-enforcement-can-...