29 ms·
A long while back now Google came out saying[0] they did use their Google Maps Street View cars to also collect wifi+location information. It wouldn't surprise
by veonik 4y ago
A long while back now Google came out saying[0] they did use their Google Maps Street View cars to also collect wifi+location information. It wouldn't surprise me if they augmented this info with data they receive through Google services running on Android phones too.
So my bet is, yeah, they do exist and they do pretty much cover everywhere.
[0]: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/may/15/google-admits-storing-private-data https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/may/15/google-ad...
- jaclaz 4y agoI see now, thanks. Though I believe that if Google is the adversary, they have ways (only a guess, but some kind of correlation between GPS location on mobile while connected to Wi-Fi and http requests could be one) that make the "wardriving database" unneeded, I mean, there should be a constant updating of this database, or it would turn out pretty much obsolete soon.
- toast0 4y agoThe database may have originally been filled by wardriving, but it can be updated by their distributed agents (phones with location services turned on).
- Lukas_Skywalker 4y agoGoogle even has a geolocation API [1] where you can send the BSSID and signal strength of the access points in your range and it calculates your position. [1]: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geolocation/overview#wifi_access_point_object https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geolocation...
- megous 4y agoMozilla offers a similar API. Kinda funny for a "privacy" company.