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The article seems to contradict your statement: "Location History is not on by default. Google prompts users to enable it when they are setting up certain serv

The article seems to contradict your statement: "Location History is not on by default. Google prompts users to enable it when they are setting up certain services — traffic alerts in Google Maps, for example, or group images tied to location in Google Photos.'

rcw4256 8y ago
My experience contradicts the article's claims. I don't remember ever turning this on, and when I first learned about Location History (years ago), it was already populated with a significant amount of my location history data. Maybe I did technically agree to it in some piece of fine print or other text I didn't notice, but I contest the idea that legitimate, unambiguous user consent was obtained in all cases.
- ars 8y ago
  I also started with Location history years ago and I most definitely do remember Android specifically asking if I want it or not, and I remember checking what turning it on meant. Maybe you don't remember it, but you can look at old version of Android and they all ask very clearly if you want it or not. I guess maybe you didn't understand what was implied? But it was definitely asked.
kuzehanka 8y ago
Google is tracking your location regardless of what settings you toggle how. They have been forced to admit that much. https://thehill.com/policy/technology/433742-google-takes-heat-over-location-tracking-in-privacy-debate https://thehill.com/policy/technology/433742-google-takes-he... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqw81WF_eqw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqw81WF_eqw
- shittyadmin 8y ago
  What they're referring to in that article is that when you use Google Maps and as you're following driving directions, their servers get your location so they can compute your route and offer you better routes and notifications about accidents and such along the way. That part I feel I signed up for and is perfectly fine. It's been stretched by media to make it sound nefarious, but no one has shown that they're actually sending location data when history is disabled and you're not using maps.
  - kuzehanka 8y ago
    No, what they're referring to is that if you use an android phone, either with a sim card or with google services authenticated, they are are recording the location of the phone to provide 'services' such as phone calling and play store access. The only thing location history toggles is whether your location data is branched off to the location history product line. It does not toggle the existence of that data or the fact that it's archived at several other points. Take the time to watch the congress hearing and note the very carefully worded answers and why they are worded that way.
    - shittyadmin 8y ago
      It was based on his wording that I drew my conclusions, they provide many services outside of location history which do mandate on demand location data, you know? Do you have any evidence that they're still doing periodic location after location history is disabled? I had heard concerns but it seemed they were exaggerated last I checked. Should be pretty obvious in RE if that's true. Ultimately though, you're still not getting around being tracked, your cell provider collects that location data even if Google doesn't. Just having a cell phone and a SIM puts you in a pretty awful state privacy wise.
      - kuzehanka 8y ago
        LMGFY https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/aug/13/google-location-tracking-android-iphone-mobile https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/aug/13/google-lo...
        shittyadmin 8y ago
        From your linked article: > For example, Google stores a snapshot of where you are when you merely open its Maps app Yeah, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about. In order to download map tiles around you, show nearby stuff, traffic, etc they need to know where you are. So yes, that means they get your location. But that has nothing to do with the sort of periodic background location reporting used in Location History that people are concerned about. Disabling Location History and not using Maps or other Google location based apps or APIs means they won't get your location. Also note that there's no mention of play store access, phone calls or any other sorts of usages which seem like they shouldn't ask for location in that article. They make a bit of a big deal about searching for "chocolate chip cookies" not requiring localized results, but from a technical perspective I think it's obvious that they just send it with the request regardless, they don't know . Trivial to disable if you don't want that though. In fact, both this an the Maps example will happen even on iOS devices as the article points out. When I said I found those claims exaggerated last time I looked into it, this is exactly what I meant. They must get a lot of clicks by making this stuff out to be more nefarious.
- bookofjoe 8y ago
  Google:Your Location=Facebook:That+everything else

rcw4256 8y ago

My experience contradicts the article's claims. I don't remember ever turning this on, and when I first learned about Location History (years ago), it was already populated with a significant amount of my location history data. Maybe I did technically agree to it in some piece of fine print or other text I didn't notice, but I contest the idea that legitimate, unambiguous user consent was obtained in all cases.

ars 8y ago
I also started with Location history years ago and I most definitely do remember Android specifically asking if I want it or not, and I remember checking what turning it on meant. Maybe you don't remember it, but you can look at old version of Android and they all ask very clearly if you want it or not. I guess maybe you didn't understand what was implied? But it was definitely asked.

kuzehanka 8y ago

Google is tracking your location regardless of what settings you toggle how. They have been forced to admit that much. https://thehill.com/policy/technology/433742-google-takes-heat-over-location-tracking-in-privacy-debate https://thehill.com/policy/technology/433742-google-takes-he... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqw81WF_eqw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqw81WF_eqw

shittyadmin 8y ago
What they're referring to in that article is that when you use Google Maps and as you're following driving directions, their servers get your location so they can compute your route and offer you better routes and notifications about accidents and such along the way. That part I feel I signed up for and is perfectly fine. It's been stretched by media to make it sound nefarious, but no one has shown that they're actually sending location data when history is disabled and you're not using maps.
- kuzehanka 8y ago
  No, what they're referring to is that if you use an android phone, either with a sim card or with google services authenticated, they are are recording the location of the phone to provide 'services' such as phone calling and play store access. The only thing location history toggles is whether your location data is branched off to the location history product line. It does not toggle the existence of that data or the fact that it's archived at several other points. Take the time to watch the congress hearing and note the very carefully worded answers and why they are worded that way.
  - shittyadmin 8y ago
    It was based on his wording that I drew my conclusions, they provide many services outside of location history which do mandate on demand location data, you know? Do you have any evidence that they're still doing periodic location after location history is disabled? I had heard concerns but it seemed they were exaggerated last I checked. Should be pretty obvious in RE if that's true. Ultimately though, you're still not getting around being tracked, your cell provider collects that location data even if Google doesn't. Just having a cell phone and a SIM puts you in a pretty awful state privacy wise.
    - kuzehanka 8y ago
      LMGFY https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/aug/13/google-location-tracking-android-iphone-mobile https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/aug/13/google-lo...
      - shittyadmin 8y ago
        From your linked article: > For example, Google stores a snapshot of where you are when you merely open its Maps app Yeah, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about. In order to download map tiles around you, show nearby stuff, traffic, etc they need to know where you are. So yes, that means they get your location. But that has nothing to do with the sort of periodic background location reporting used in Location History that people are concerned about. Disabling Location History and not using Maps or other Google location based apps or APIs means they won't get your location. Also note that there's no mention of play store access, phone calls or any other sorts of usages which seem like they shouldn't ask for location in that article. They make a bit of a big deal about searching for "chocolate chip cookies" not requiring localized results, but from a technical perspective I think it's obvious that they just send it with the request regardless, they don't know . Trivial to disable if you don't want that though. In fact, both this an the Maps example will happen even on iOS devices as the article points out. When I said I found those claims exaggerated last time I looked into it, this is exactly what I meant. They must get a lot of clicks by making this stuff out to be more nefarious.
bookofjoe 8y ago
Google:Your Location=Facebook:That+everything else