Does anyone know if the iPhone's MAC randomization has any effect on this?
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Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
11–20 of 118 posts
Re: Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
#12Here's the pdf from the pilot findings: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/review-tfl-wifi-pilot.pdf
I like this figure of the ways that people travel between KGX and Waterloo- this is the sort of data that you can't pick up using Oyster cards: https://imgur.com/Hx6mDSm.jpg
Re: Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
#13Surely this would be an automatic sanction when GDPR comes into effect, leaving your wifi on isn't exactly "explicit consent".
Re: Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
#14This is why I switch my wifi radio off every time I leave home. Especially when going to travel via the tubes. And this is why the "50-shades of wifi off" of ios 11 is so idiotic. Don't have iOS 11 yet so don't actually know how many steps I need to take.
I’m not sure I see the issue with iOS11. 3D Touch Settings and select WiFi and toggle it off. It’s about as much work as opening control center.
If you don’t have a 3D Touch phone you have to open Settings and Navigate to WiFi which is right at the top of the list with Bluetooth and Airplane Mode.
Re: Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
#15Why do they need to do this? They already track people with Oyster and contactless which gives them journey information. This is just a convenient data grab and profiteering. I'm going to sound old and curmudgeonly here, but I'm starting to miss the days when we bought paper tickets with cash.
They want to be able to charge advertisers more based on potential viewers of their advertisements - they probably charge a fixed fee / week for ads now, then they can go "Yeah according to our analytics a million people viewed this ad, vs 100K for the other, please pay more".
Re: Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
#16Does anyone know if the iPhone's MAC randomization has any effect on this?
As far as I know, the iPhone only randomizes its MAC address after the device has been locked for two minutes and not connected to any known networks. Two things that are very unlikely to happen in a subway. One of the advantages of riding the subway is that you can use a phone and the other one is that there is rarely any cell connection (at least in my subway), so you need WiFi anyways. WiFi randomization is great…
There’s not great WiFi coverage on the underground right now, but I imagine that it will continue to improve, especially if TfL want to collect more of this data...
Re: Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
#17Why do they need to do this? They already track people with Oyster and contactless which gives them journey information. This is just a convenient data grab and profiteering. I'm going to sound old and curmudgeonly here, but I'm starting to miss the days when we bought paper tickets with cash.
If you understand how people get from A-B (which lines, what paths within stations) you can better control overcrowding.
Re: Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
#18This is why I switch my wifi radio off every time I leave home. Especially when going to travel via the tubes. And this is why the "50-shades of wifi off" of ios 11 is so idiotic. Don't have iOS 11 yet so don't actually know how many steps I need to take.
I’m not sure I see the issue with iOS11. 3D Touch Settings and select WiFi and toggle it off. It’s about as much work as opening control center. If you don’t have a 3D Touch phone you have to open Settings and Navigate to WiFi which is right at the top of the list with Bluetooth and Airplane Mode.
You just gave me the first real use for 3D Touch since I got my 6S. Thanks!
On the subject, one swipe + one press using control center is really much faster than finding the settings app. For me it takes at least six actions to get to the switch: press home twice, open a folder, scroll, open settings, click wifi). Even if you keep settings in your home screen that's at least four clicks/touches away.
Re: Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
#19Surely this would be an automatic sanction when GDPR comes into effect, leaving your wifi on isn't exactly "explicit consent".
Just for people as uninformed as myself:
the UK will apply GDPR post Brexit http://www.blplaw.com/expert-legal-insights/articles/gdpr-an...
Re: Transport for London plans to collect data from passengers' mobiles
#20Why do they need to do this? They already track people with Oyster and contactless which gives them journey information. This is just a convenient data grab and profiteering. I'm going to sound old and curmudgeonly here, but I'm starting to miss the days when we bought paper tickets with cash.
In most cases Oyster will only tell them where you entered the tube and where you exited. At a few exchange points you might tap out and in again but at most you will not. On a bus it will tell them where you go on but IIRC you don't tap on exit.
Tracking you by WiFi MAC address or similar techniques (I've heard of Bluetooth being used in some places) allows them to see where you went between entry and exit and how long you spent there. It will also allow them to track you outside the network when you are in range of one of their APs. The CityCOnnect WiFi in York tracks people around the city in this way, I'm sure other cities have similar arrangements.
> This is just a convenient data grab and profiteering.
I'm not sure about where direct profits might come from, but IIRC when York's city-wide WiFi started they were quite honest (or at least refreshing undeceptive) about it being a bit fo a data grab. From the council's point of view it helps them to know how people, especially visitors, navigate around the place. This can be a great help when planning changes to pedestrian signage & bus routes, and to reduce disruption when planning maintenance works on paths & roads. Of course the commercial partners will use the same data to assess advertising potentials and other such.