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This hypertrending feature is very similar to how Google Maps tracks traffic. Everyone using Google Maps is constantly uploading position information which mak

This hypertrending feature is very similar to how Google Maps tracks traffic. Everyone using Google Maps is constantly uploading position information which makes it possible for Google to infer traffic jams, among other things. Of course, Google has a more plausible argument that it's users have opted in even if very few realize their anonymized and aggregated position information is being broadcast to the world.

abalone 8y ago
It's more than that. The article implies that Foursquare is sourcing data from a variety of apps, including apps that are associated with your real world identity and preferences and lifestyle activities, which increases the opportunity for privacy invasions. For comparison when Apple Maps shares your position information it is a strictly anonymous session ID that is not associated with your Apple ID and is regularly discarded.[1] [1] https://www.apple.com/privacy/approach-to-privacy/ https://www.apple.com/privacy/approach-to-privacy/
- shereadsthenews 8y ago
  Is that really accurate? iOS comes out of the box with "improve Apple Maps" enabled, which collects location data and associates it with your Apple ID and your registered address. They do this even if you've literally never launched their terrible, useless map application that nobody likes. Always seemed pretty underhanded.
  - abalone 8y ago
    > collects location data and associates it with your Apple ID What is your source?
    - shereadsthenews 8y ago
      That's what it says it does under the control to turn it off in the settings.
      - abalone 8y ago
        That’s a pretty disingenuous reading. It says “Apple will only retain the resulting coordinates in an anonymous form to improve Maps and other Apple location-based products and services.”
reaperducer 8y ago
Everyone using Google Maps is constantly uploading position information which makes it possible for Google to infer traffic jams, among other things. Except that Apple manages to do it without violating anyone's privacy. It was detailed in a recent WWDC. If I remember correctly, instead of tracking a person throughout their journey or the day and using "traffic monitoring" as an excuse, Apple takes anonymized snippets of journeys (around a mile or less IIRC), and uses those. It seems to me that any company not doing the same is just profiling its users for profit.
CharlesColeman 8y ago
> Everyone using Google Maps is constantly uploading position information which makes it possible for Google to infer traffic jams, among other things. That's the kind of data collection I can get behind, because it actually provides direct value to the users providing the data that can only be had through aggregation (though I would hope that we'll someday have a regulatory framework that requires it be thoroughly anonymized). Targeted advertising and retail foot-traffic analytics for hedge funds, not so much.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
JohnFen 8y ago
> it's users have opted in even if very few realize their anonymized and aggregated position information is being broadcast to the world. If users don't realize that, then they cannot have given real consent. Real consent requires that you know what you're consenting to.
derekdahmer 8y ago
The foursquare app is literally called "Swarm" - it shows in the app how many people are actively checked into which venue, and the most busy hours of the day. I'm so confused by people's response here. It's a location tracking app. I've been using Swarm for almost 10 years for this exact purpose.
- JohnFen 8y ago
  > I'm so confused by people's response here. It's a location tracking app. My problem is that Foursquare (the company, not the apps) is using location data of people who aren't using location-tracking apps and who haven't given consent to have their location tracked.

abalone 8y ago

It's more than that. The article implies that Foursquare is sourcing data from a variety of apps, including apps that are associated with your real world identity and preferences and lifestyle activities, which increases the opportunity for privacy invasions. For comparison when Apple Maps shares your position information it is a strictly anonymous session ID that is not associated with your Apple ID and is regularly discarded.[1] [1] https://www.apple.com/privacy/approach-to-privacy/ https://www.apple.com/privacy/approach-to-privacy/

shereadsthenews 8y ago
Is that really accurate? iOS comes out of the box with "improve Apple Maps" enabled, which collects location data and associates it with your Apple ID and your registered address. They do this even if you've literally never launched their terrible, useless map application that nobody likes. Always seemed pretty underhanded.
- abalone 8y ago
  > collects location data and associates it with your Apple ID What is your source?
  - shereadsthenews 8y ago
    That's what it says it does under the control to turn it off in the settings.
    - abalone 8y ago
      That’s a pretty disingenuous reading. It says “Apple will only retain the resulting coordinates in an anonymous form to improve Maps and other Apple location-based products and services.”

reaperducer 8y ago

Everyone using Google Maps is constantly uploading position information which makes it possible for Google to infer traffic jams, among other things. Except that Apple manages to do it without violating anyone's privacy. It was detailed in a recent WWDC. If I remember correctly, instead of tracking a person throughout their journey or the day and using "traffic monitoring" as an excuse, Apple takes anonymized snippets of journeys (around a mile or less IIRC), and uses those. It seems to me that any company not doing the same is just profiling its users for profit.

CharlesColeman 8y ago

> Everyone using Google Maps is constantly uploading position information which makes it possible for Google to infer traffic jams, among other things. That's the kind of data collection I can get behind, because it actually provides direct value to the users providing the data that can only be had through aggregation (though I would hope that we'll someday have a regulatory framework that requires it be thoroughly anonymized). Targeted advertising and retail foot-traffic analytics for hedge funds, not so much.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

JohnFen 8y ago

> it's users have opted in even if very few realize their anonymized and aggregated position information is being broadcast to the world. If users don't realize that, then they cannot have given real consent. Real consent requires that you know what you're consenting to.

derekdahmer 8y ago

The foursquare app is literally called "Swarm" - it shows in the app how many people are actively checked into which venue, and the most busy hours of the day. I'm so confused by people's response here. It's a location tracking app. I've been using Swarm for almost 10 years for this exact purpose.

JohnFen 8y ago
> I'm so confused by people's response here. It's a location tracking app. My problem is that Foursquare (the company, not the apps) is using location data of people who aren't using location-tracking apps and who haven't given consent to have their location tracked.