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Google tracks users who turn off location history

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Google tracks users who turn off location history

#41

Post by l9k »

vesinisa wrote: post #31
l9k wrote: post #12

Still don't understand why this story blowing out all of a sudden. It's common knowledge that the biggest internet ad company likes your data and wants it for its recommendation systems. If you want to turn off Location History, which is a feature, a product in itself, you can. If you don't want your searches to be tracked, use another engine like DuckDuckGo or Qwant. If you still want Google, you can disable the loc…

This is a regrettable, yet a sadly common view. "If you use products by Company X, you must understand they gather an immerse personal profile on you - like it or not. That's just how Company X works! If you don't like that, use a competing product." Companies are not above law, and the gathering and use of personally identifiable information is regulated for a very good reason in our society (I don't think many Amer…

That's actually regrettable, I agree.

What's more regrettable in my opinion is that piece is inflated in comparison to something like the Equifax scandal because:

1. This is a service you opt in to use (there's competition), you can opt-out off the tracking in 3 clicks, and your data is safe (so far)

2. Equifax leaked the SSN of millions who haven't even subscribed to their service

Anyway, I agree, we can still improve customer privacy and transparency.

Re: Google tracks users who turn off location history

#42

Post by zepto »

russellbeattie wrote: post #33

"Turning off" location history == Don't show me my location history. It's not like Google (or Apple) is going to actually stop tracking you. I love showing iPhone users the section in Settings where all their location history is. Most have no idea it's there.

The iPhone location history is on your iPhone not at Apple.

And Apple doesn’t track you. They cycle identifiers regularly for exactly this reason.

Spreading falsehoods about this being something everyone does is harmful because it normalizes the abusive behavior from those that actually do.

Re: Google tracks users who turn off location history

#43

Post by pacala »

jonknee wrote: post #29
pacala wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Read the article. What are the "clear descriptions and robust controls" to turn off the following Google location tracking behaviors: > Google stores a snapshot of where you are when you open the Maps app > Automatic weather updates on Android phones pinpoint roughly where a user is > Searches that have nothing to do with location pinpoint precise longitude and latitude of users

These are all features that people expect to work regardless of what they do with their settings... Why would you want a weather update for somewhere you aren't? If you search drug store should it tell you about the concept of drug stores or the actual drug stores that are down the street? There would be tons of people upset that Google is broken if it didn't take location into account for search.

For weather, I use 2 mechanisms: a. I setup IPhone weather app to my home town location. Works 95% of the time, I'm not traveling that much. b. Search for " weather" when I'm traveling. Browser autocomplete makes this trivial. Fairly easy and doesn't feed Google with a stream of personalized location information.

===

A day in the life of a BigAdCo surveillance apologist:

1. Claim it's obviously easy to disable the tracking behavior.

2. Claim the tracking behavior is absolutely necessary for feature X.

3. Claim that someone else would do the track tracking / is doing the tracking, so BigAdCo must do it to compete. [Notice how this conflicts with 4].

4. Claim that users could just use the competition. [Notice how this conflicts with 3].

5. ???

6. Profit!

Re: Google tracks users who turn off location history

#45

Post by tkxxx7 »

jonknee wrote: post #29
pacala wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Read the article. What are the "clear descriptions and robust controls" to turn off the following Google location tracking behaviors: > Google stores a snapshot of where you are when you open the Maps app > Automatic weather updates on Android phones pinpoint roughly where a user is > Searches that have nothing to do with location pinpoint precise longitude and latitude of users

These are all features that people expect to work regardless of what they do with their settings... Why would you want a weather update for somewhere you aren't? If you search drug store should it tell you about the concept of drug stores or the actual drug stores that are down the street? There would be tons of people upset that Google is broken if it didn't take location into account for search.

taking current location into account !== building a cumulative location profile over time without explicit consent

Re: Google tracks users who turn off location history

#46

Post by hashr8064 »

323454 wrote: post #40

To add one datum, I turned off location history thinking that meant that Google would use my _current_ location for Maps, Search etc while not storing my _past_ locations. Their interface and messaging did not succeed in dissuading me from this belief, despite the fact that I was explicitly looking for messaging and settings related to protecting my privacy. Was I naive to believe this was even possible in the first…

> Suggestions are welcome for good alternatives,

I'm in the move away myself. Here's some services I've started using, in many areas I'm still looking for other replacements. Hopefully others can help.

1. E-Mail : protonmail.com, I really like this one, great service.

2. Video Calls : I'm currently using signal to some extent, not very happy though, would really like something like Hangouts.

3. Browser : Firefox

4. Phone : Apple

5. Things I'm still looking for : Google Calender, Drive, Chat, Backup Storage services.

Re: Google tracks users who turn off location history

#47

Post by RussianCow »

macintux wrote: post #24
brookhaven_dude wrote: post #15

What if I shut down the google maps app after every use (iphone)? Surely they can't track after that.

There are multiple layers here. The current controversy is whether Google keeps a history of your location data tied to your Google account when you ask them not to. It turns out there are two different places they record it, so you have to disable both. Separately there is the question of whether Google can get your location data from your phone at all. On your iPhone, you can specify "Never", "While using", or "Alw…

The "while using" permission does allow apps to continue using your location in the background, but you get a status indicator when that is the case.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203033

Re: Google tracks users who turn off location history

#48

Post by l9k »

Bartweiss wrote: post #38
l9k wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes they do. Location History is a feature you can disable, pretty easily. They never claimed "Turn this off if you don't want to share your location in any of the Google services you use. There actually is a control panel for your global settings.

The second feature you have to disable to limit this tracking is Web And App Activity. This is a bundled feature which means you can't choose the utterly reasonable status "improve my search suggestions but don't use my location". More importantly, the Google Privacy Checkup where you find this setting offers no hint that it involves location monitoring. Here's the text: "Google is saving your searches and other Goog…

I just checked. First hint is the "GPS icon" on every Search entry and the location is displayed when you click on "Details".

Second, on the Activity Commands, you just have to click on the link to See More and it's explicitly stated that the location is stored.

Re: Google tracks users who turn off location history

#49

Post by 0x8BADF00D »

macintux wrote: post #24
brookhaven_dude wrote: post #15

What if I shut down the google maps app after every use (iphone)? Surely they can't track after that.

There are multiple layers here. The current controversy is whether Google keeps a history of your location data tied to your Google account when you ask them not to. It turns out there are two different places they record it, so you have to disable both. Separately there is the question of whether Google can get your location data from your phone at all. On your iPhone, you can specify "Never", "While using", or "Alw…

You can tell if there was a CLLocationManager framework call to startUpdatingLocation() depending on the color of the location arrow in Location Services settings. AFAIK, it is not possible to use location manager without first registering a location authorization type (When in use, always, etc).

Re: Google tracks users who turn off location history

#50

Post by mbel »

hashr8064 wrote: post #46
323454 wrote: post #40

To add one datum, I turned off location history thinking that meant that Google would use my _current_ location for Maps, Search etc while not storing my _past_ locations. Their interface and messaging did not succeed in dissuading me from this belief, despite the fact that I was explicitly looking for messaging and settings related to protecting my privacy. Was I naive to believe this was even possible in the first…

> Suggestions are welcome for good alternatives, I'm in the move away myself. Here's some services I've started using, in many areas I'm still looking for other replacements. Hopefully others can help. 1. E-Mail : protonmail.com, I really like this one, great service. 2. Video Calls : I'm currently using signal to some extent, not very happy though, would really like something like Hangouts. 3. Browser : Firefox 4. P…

> 5. Things I'm still looking for : Google Calender, Drive

Fastmail provides a DavCAL calendar and some storage space with their email offering. They also have a wonderful browser client (much better that gmail at least for me).

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