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How We reduced our Google Maps API cost

blog.cityflo.com

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Re: How We reduced our Google Maps API cost

#111

Post by throwaway2048 »

thejosh wrote: post #92
cookie_monsta wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My understanding is that Google's does real time traffic reporting so well because it's constantly pinging the location of android devices. There have been several write ups on how to spoof it, but historical data is never going to be a match for a feed like that.

If you carry lots of android devices it will alter the traffic on Google Maps - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5eL_al_m7Q

I find it insane that the fact that Google is constantly harvesting device locations is blatantly obvious from things like this, but yet if you make that claim in other contexts people will be extremely skeptical and demand extensive proof.

Re: How We reduced our Google Maps API cost

#114

Post by wstuartcl »

DeathArrow wrote: post #28
xtony wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Caching is allowed (for up to 30 days). Here are the specific terms for the API in the article: https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms/maps-service-te... "Customer can temporarily cache latitude (lat) and longitude (lng) values from the Directions API for up to 30 consecutive calendar days, after which Customer must delete the cached latitude and longitude values."

That might be a mistake on their side which they might repair now that they started to ask for lots of money for the data.

rofl. funny.

Re: How We reduced our Google Maps API cost

#115

Post by jsjddbbwj »

dsr_ wrote: post #98
smnrchrds wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Genuine question: wouldn't this be considered write fraud? Last time I asked this question [0] on a different story [1], the responses I got were that it definitely is wire fraud, but this is so mind-blowing that I would like to ask again to confirm. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22362682 [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22354357

It's violation of terms of service, and possibly a violation of contract, but it's clearly a civil matter, not a criminal one.

What contract? You don't sign a contract when you create a Google account (which is basically what you need to create an API key with access to the free tier)

Re: How We reduced our Google Maps API cost

#116

Post by Danieru »

throwaway2048 wrote: post #111
thejosh wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you carry lots of android devices it will alter the traffic on Google Maps - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5eL_al_m7Q

I find it insane that the fact that Google is constantly harvesting device locations is blatantly obvious from things like this, but yet if you make that claim in other contexts people will be extremely skeptical and demand extensive proof.

Those phones all had Google Maps app open. That Google is harvesting device locations while you have a Google app open showing your GPS location should not be a surprise.

What would be a surprise is if Google forced on your GPS to gather your location in other contexts.

Re: How We reduced our Google Maps API cost

#117

Post by gog »

Danieru wrote: post #116
throwaway2048 wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it insane that the fact that Google is constantly harvesting device locations is blatantly obvious from things like this, but yet if you make that claim in other contexts people will be extremely skeptical and demand extensive proof.

Those phones all had Google Maps app open. That Google is harvesting device locations while you have a Google app open showing your GPS location should not be a surprise. What would be a surprise is if Google forced on your GPS to gather your location in other contexts.

It is not a surprise, it is already happening. You can turn it off, but AFAIK if you don't it collects this information even if the Google maps application is not open.

Re: How We reduced our Google Maps API cost

#118

Post by throwaway2048 »

Danieru wrote: post #116
throwaway2048 wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it insane that the fact that Google is constantly harvesting device locations is blatantly obvious from things like this, but yet if you make that claim in other contexts people will be extremely skeptical and demand extensive proof.

Those phones all had Google Maps app open. That Google is harvesting device locations while you have a Google app open showing your GPS location should not be a surprise. What would be a surprise is if Google forced on your GPS to gather your location in other contexts.

Google absolutely harvests phone GPS data to enhance things like AGPS (mapping of wifi MAC addresses, or celll towers to location coordinates), and it does this regardless of the location setting in the system UI.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/21/16684818/google-location...

Re: How We reduced our Google Maps API cost

#119

Post by judge2020 »

jsjddbbwj wrote: post #115
dsr_ wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's violation of terms of service, and possibly a violation of contract, but it's clearly a civil matter, not a criminal one.

What contract? You don't sign a contract when you create a Google account (which is basically what you need to create an API key with access to the free tier)

These terms[0] are, in general, legally binding (especially as you're a business signing them and not just a person), and it's obvious bad-faith to do this, making any sort of lawsuit hard to fight. While they most likely won't actually take you to court over this, you risk suspension of your main GCP account.

> 3.3 Restrictions.

> Customer will not, and will not allow third parties under its control to: ... (d) create multiple Applications, Accounts, or Projects to simulate or act as a single Application, Account, or Project (respectively) or otherwise access the Services in a manner intended to avoid incurring Fees or exceed usage limits or quotas;

0: https://cloud.google.com/terms

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