Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

qz.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 422 posts

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#31

Post by AdmiralAsshat »

Years ago, I remember CyanogenMod advertising that their "Privacy Guard" feature had something like a data spoof feature, where if an app surreptitiously requested your location or info, the guard would feed it a dummy number, garbage location, etc.

I've dug around and it seems like this no longer exists, if it ever did. Privacy Guard now seems to just allow granular controls on what the apps are allowed to request.

If it doesn't exist already, someone should definitely work towards implementing something like it.

EDIT: I see that the related XPrivacy app has a menu option for "Fake Data", so maybe this is what I'm thinking of.

https://github.com/M66B/XPrivacy#features

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#32

Post by sarcasmic »

When I'm at work, I use my work computer, which has a long lived static IP, to log into my personal Google account. I have configured all of my browsers to clear cookies and storage upon closing. I never use signed-in Google Maps, but I sometimes use it from that computer, from fresh browser while logged out.

A week ago, I moved from my previous home that was close to my work, to a different city about 20 miles away. Since I wasn't sure where all the points of interest are, I've been turning on location on my Android phone and using signed-out Google Maps on my phone.

Yesterday, my work computer's signed-out Google Maps has centered its default view on my new city, on the exact highway interchange next to which I now live.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#35

Post by Brakenshire »

growse wrote: post #25
nvr219 wrote: post #24

If you care about personal privacy and security of your friends and family, you should discourage them from using Android.

Of course, this is meaningless without context. Privacy from who? Security from what? What's the perceived threat we're trying to protect against? Everything is a tradeoff. To absolutely protect your privacy, you must never be seen in public or interact with any other party in any way.

This is sophistry, privacy in the sense that a private company is not continuously compiling a list of every location you visit throughout your life.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#36

Post by [deleted] »

csours wrote: post #23

> "Although the data sent to Google is encrypted, it could potentially be sent to a third party if the phone had been compromised with spyware or other methods of hacking. Each phone has a unique ID number, with which the location data can be associated." If the phone is compromised, it doesn't matter what google has access to, the tracking kit can just enable it's own tracking and spoof the system status (depending…

[deleted]

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#38

Post by [deleted] »

csours wrote: post #23

> "Although the data sent to Google is encrypted, it could potentially be sent to a third party if the phone had been compromised with spyware or other methods of hacking. Each phone has a unique ID number, with which the location data can be associated." If the phone is compromised, it doesn't matter what google has access to, the tracking kit can just enable it's own tracking and spoof the system status (depending…

[deleted]

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#39

Post by nothrabannosir »

AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #31

Years ago, I remember CyanogenMod advertising that their "Privacy Guard" feature had something like a data spoof feature, where if an app surreptitiously requested your location or info, the guard would feed it a dummy number, garbage location, etc. I've dug around and it seems like this no longer exists, if it ever did. Privacy Guard now seems to just allow granular controls on what the apps are allowed to request.…

I'm way out of my depth here, but as far as I remember, this disappearing coincided with the introduction of Play services. Notably, determining location through WiFi endpoints nearby. I assumed spoofing location worked when getting location was simple, just GPS. But getting it through wifi and play services must have complicated everything a lot and made it harder to spoof from outside.

But this is all pure conjecture.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#40

Post by growse »

Brakenshire wrote: post #35
growse wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course, this is meaningless without context. Privacy from who? Security from what? What's the perceived threat we're trying to protect against? Everything is a tradeoff. To absolutely protect your privacy, you must never be seen in public or interact with any other party in any way.

This is sophistry, privacy in the sense that a private company is not continuously compiling a list of every location you visit throughout your life.

Claiming sophistry doesn't make it so, you have to try a little harder than that.

The original assertion was "If you care about privacy, don't use Android". A more nuanced and useful assertion would be this: If you don't trust a specific private company with your information, don't volunteer it to them. If you don't trust Apple/Google/Microsoft with all of your data, don't buy a device with a radio they have root access on and store all your data on it and carry it with you everywhere you go. This isn't Android-specific.

Post reply on HN