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Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

businessinsider.com

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Re: Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

#141

Post by solardev »

arebop wrote: post #5

I sometimes query this to help me recall details from years ago, so I'm sad that the encroachment of very broad government surveillance and the rise to power of extremist politicians makes it unacceptably dangerous to continue to provide the service.

I wish I could opt out of this change. I've been asking Google to remember my location for more than a decade, and it's an amazing record of where we've been, when. I don't care that the government or Google can see it, it's still super useful. I'd pay to keep it in the cloud.

Re: Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

#142

Post by solardev »

SoftTalker wrote: post #18
arebop wrote: post #5

I sometimes query this to help me recall details from years ago, so I'm sad that the encroachment of very broad government surveillance and the rise to power of extremist politicians makes it unacceptably dangerous to continue to provide the service.

Have never found myself in and cannot imagine a circumstance where I'd need to know my precise location at a point in time years ago, or really even at any time other than the present.

It's really helpful for remembering that one random restaurant from five years ago in a different state, or retracing our travels through a foreign country so we can better match them with our photos.

Google remembers many places I've totally forgotten about, and it's really nice to be able to revisit the nostalgia when I'm older.

I've been logging this for more than a decade, and it's a lot of fun to go back in time and revisit and rediscover old favorites.

It's one of my favorite features in all of Google :(

Re: Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

#143

Post by toomuchtodo »

lakpan wrote: post #140
toomuchtodo wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can’t speak to eSIM problems, but I’ve moved as much to synced passkeys as possible, and the last of my 2FA/MFA in Bitwarden will be migrated as those sites support passkeys. As long as the data on my device is synced to iCloud storage or backups, that meets my needs. If the UX around an app is not great when switching phones or requires some esoteric incantations, I just won’t use it.

> As long as the data on my device is synced to iCloud storage But is it though? That’s the major catch. Something as important as Google Authenticator is not backed up, so you must enable sync to your account to ensure you don’t lose it (which wasn’t a thing at all until recently)

I don’t use nor recommend Google Authenticator. If you want a secure 2FA/MFA, use a hardware token or a passkey. TOTPs without a backup or sync is pain waiting to happen.

Of course, syncing TOTPs comes with its own threat model. Something to keep in mind.

Re: Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

#145

Post by dns_snek »

modeless wrote: post #36
summerlight wrote: post #31

I don't like this change. What's going to be their proposal on multi device data sync, especially including web browsers? During my trip, I just let my phone log the path. Then I edit/browse it on my desktop since it's very inefficient to do so on my phone. With this change, this flow becomes almost infeasible or at least very tedious.

I agree, but I think the headline is misleading. The data can still be backed up in the cloud. However, it will be end-to-end encrypted. It seems to me like the real issue is the inability of web apps to process end-to-end encrypted data. Are there any web standards efforts to solve this?

Google's messaging is misleading, too. The data is likely encrypted, but it's impossible for it to be encrypted "end to end" like they claim.

> You can encrypt and upload a copy of your Timeline from this device to your Google Account, in case you lose your device or need to switch devices.

You can recover the data after losing your device (which would be the only "end" in end to end encryption), which means that the data isn't actually E2EE, and thus Google or anyone with access to your Google account can still access it.

Re: Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

#146

Post by jbn »

dotancohen wrote: post #41
oh_sigh wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes the thing you're looking for isn't something that you recognized as interesting in the moment.

Story of my life. And my divorce.

this makes me thing of the "baby shoes, never worn" short story by Hemingway.

Re: Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

#147

Post by ajross »

wolverine876 wrote: post #69
ajross wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Discovery is subject to oversight. The court signs off on the subpoena and your lawyer gets to argue why it's not valid before it does. No, "because I dislike you" isn't going to fly. But if you're in a legitimate feud with someone and they can make a real case that your location information is important evidence for the court to see, sure.

> your lawyer gets to argue why it's not valid What if you can't afford a lawyer?

No court anywhere is going to get all the way to discovery in a case without representation, that's silly. If you're really in a situation where you're sued by Real Lawyers and refuse to respond like that, what will end up happening is some kind of default judgement. Discovery only happens once people start arguing about stuff.

Though there is a corrolary: occasionally you'll see suits filed against John/Jane Doe defendants. The plaintiff knows they've been wronged and wants justice, but they don't know who the entities are they need to sue for some reason. In those circumstances you can get subpoenas issued to produce e.g. phone logs or security footage, etc... in order to move the case along.

Re: Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

#148

Post by iudqnolq »

londons_explore wrote: post #67
anigbrowl wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can turn it off on Android, I did so a few years ago. Although my phone has a perfectly good GPS receiver, Google really dislikes having it turned off and constantly pesters me to turn it back on when using their Map product.

I can kinda see why GPS working would be a core feature of a map product on a mobile device...

The annoying thing is that if you disable "automatically track everywhere I go" you lose features like "let me manually provide my home address so I can tap the home button to get directions there". I totally get why that kind of thing gets overlooked, but it's technically unnecessary and also annoying.

Re: Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

#149

Post by modeless »

dns_snek wrote: post #145
modeless wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, but I think the headline is misleading. The data can still be backed up in the cloud. However, it will be end-to-end encrypted. It seems to me like the real issue is the inability of web apps to process end-to-end encrypted data. Are there any web standards efforts to solve this?

Google's messaging is misleading, too. The data is likely encrypted, but it's impossible for it to be encrypted "end to end" like they claim. > You can encrypt and upload a copy of your Timeline from this device to your Google Account, in case you lose your device or need to switch devices. You can recover the data after losing your device (which would be the only "end" in end to end encryption), which means that the…

You are wrong. It can still be end-to-end encrypted using a password. Android backups are end-to-end encrypted (iPhone backups too but only if you enable the optional "Advanced Data Protection" feature) using your phone unlock code as a password. The phone unlock code is never sent to Google/Apple, it is only processed locally on your phone.

Your phone unlock code is typically not complex enough to withstand brute force attacks, so brute force attack resistance is added using an HSM in the datacenter (just as brute forcing the code locally is prevented using an HSM in the phone). A similar technique is also used by Signal, you can read about it here: https://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2020/07/10/a-few-th...

Re: Location history data in Google Maps will soon be stored on user devices

#150

Post by valiant-comma »

lakpan wrote: post #140
toomuchtodo wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can’t speak to eSIM problems, but I’ve moved as much to synced passkeys as possible, and the last of my 2FA/MFA in Bitwarden will be migrated as those sites support passkeys. As long as the data on my device is synced to iCloud storage or backups, that meets my needs. If the UX around an app is not great when switching phones or requires some esoteric incantations, I just won’t use it.

> As long as the data on my device is synced to iCloud storage But is it though? That’s the major catch. Something as important as Google Authenticator is not backed up, so you must enable sync to your account to ensure you don’t lose it (which wasn’t a thing at all until recently)

Google Authenticator can sync to your account, now, meaning codes will be available from any new device.

https://security.googleblog.com/2023/04/google-authenticator...

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