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If you read the article, "Location services may collect and share data with companies like Google and Apple, who in turn may share it with law enforcement agen

by dannyr 8y ago

If you read the article, "Location services may collect and share data with companies like Google and Apple, who in turn may share it with law enforcement agencies. "

nostromo 8y ago
The article is pointing the finger at Google apps on iOS devices: “But while Apple's location data processing is anonymous, two hard-to-find settings— "Location History" and "Web and App Activity" — allow Google to keep track of everything their users search, and everywhere they go. It affects all Android users, and iPhone or iPad users with apps like Google Maps installed on their device.
- sveme 8y ago
  If you switch off GPS for Google Maps on your iPhone, you should be save. Did that and only use Google Maps now to sanity-check Apple Maps traffic conditions.
  - jacquesm 8y ago
    Safe from Google and Apple but not from cell tower triangulation.
    - taneq 8y ago
      Well yeah, you can be followed by a guy in a trenchcoat too, no matter what your phone's privacy settings are.
      - vkou 8y ago
        The difference between cell tower triangulation, and Google/Apple services tracking your location is small. The difference between cell tower triangulation, and being followed by a guy in a trenchcoat is not. In fact, there's a number of categorical differences between the first two, and the third. 1. The first two are automated. 2. The first two are recorded in a computer-searchable database. 3. The first two, by nature, are capable of scaling to encompass every cell-phone owner. You're not going to get the 'set a spook to follow people' approach to accomplish any one of these.
        jacquesm 8y ago
        And, more importantly, the first two can work after the fact. So you do not have to plan ahead of time that you want to trace someone, you can decide that you want to trace someone six months after the period of interest.
        taneq 8y ago
        Fair points. I was trying to illustrate that there are plenty of ways other than phones which can track people, but as you say, the guy in the trenchcoat doesn't scale. Better examples would be ubiquitous cameras with facial or number plate recognition.

by dannyr 8y ago

If you read the article, "Location services may collect and share data with companies like Google and Apple, who in turn may share it with law enforcement agencies. "

nostromo 8y ago

The article is pointing the finger at Google apps on iOS devices: “But while Apple's location data processing is anonymous, two hard-to-find settings— "Location History" and "Web and App Activity" — allow Google to keep track of everything their users search, and everywhere they go. It affects all Android users, and iPhone or iPad users with apps like Google Maps installed on their device.

sveme 8y ago
If you switch off GPS for Google Maps on your iPhone, you should be save. Did that and only use Google Maps now to sanity-check Apple Maps traffic conditions.
- jacquesm 8y ago
  Safe from Google and Apple but not from cell tower triangulation.
  - taneq 8y ago
    Well yeah, you can be followed by a guy in a trenchcoat too, no matter what your phone's privacy settings are.
    - vkou 8y ago
      The difference between cell tower triangulation, and Google/Apple services tracking your location is small. The difference between cell tower triangulation, and being followed by a guy in a trenchcoat is not. In fact, there's a number of categorical differences between the first two, and the third. 1. The first two are automated. 2. The first two are recorded in a computer-searchable database. 3. The first two, by nature, are capable of scaling to encompass every cell-phone owner. You're not going to get the 'set a spook to follow people' approach to accomplish any one of these.
      - jacquesm 8y ago
        And, more importantly, the first two can work after the fact. So you do not have to plan ahead of time that you want to trace someone, you can decide that you want to trace someone six months after the period of interest.
      - taneq 8y ago
        Fair points. I was trying to illustrate that there are plenty of ways other than phones which can track people, but as you say, the guy in the trenchcoat doesn't scale. Better examples would be ubiquitous cameras with facial or number plate recognition.