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Google's iOS and Android Apps Track and Store Location Data With Location History Disabled

jeremiah256 said:
If you lived on the first floor of an apartment and didn't purchase and perform the work of hanging curtains, could you claim your privacy was being invaded if someone stood on the public sidewalk and took a picture of you picking your nose and posting it on the internet?
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Actually: yes. There is a law for that, it is called the privacy of your own room. If you do it on your balcony, it wouldn't be right, but as long as it is a closed room, it is private.
Just because it's possible doesn't mean it's right. Thanks for your understanding.
 
here's the thing, is it just advertising we're talking about? Whatever Google collects, they keep to themselves to serve ads and provide big data benefits to their users. Run and ad blocker and be done with it.

They are much less nefarious than Facebook. How many of the people complaining about big G are signed in to WhatsApp, Instagram or other FB properties? Reminds me of a quote from Boardwalk Empire; "You can't be half a gangster".

Did anyone catch the article a few weeks back about how the writer requested his profile from all 3; Apple, FB, and G? The FB data file was something like 3x the size.

Read up on FB's Audience Network product. Not to mention how just about every app you install or website you visit is running some sort of 'crowd sourcing' or big data scripts. Do you use Groupon? Uber? Your cell provider's app for managing your account? It's everywhere.

If you're truly trying to avoid it all, go read all the posts at /r/privacy/ for either tinfoil theories or tips. There's some of both. If you're trying to strike a balance of "pretty good privacy" - Apple is it (but be ready to pay).
 
I don’t get the people relating IP addresses to tracking. Yes, everyone online has an IP but it’s not very accurate. Some don’t understand how the web works.

The real issue is your location being tracked via GPS. And that’s what settings like Location Services should be controlling. Now if it’s still tracking information when opted out, then that’s a problem.
 
pentidoes said:
Actually: yes. There is a law for that, it is called the privacy of your own room. If you do it on your balcony, it wouldn't be right, but as long as it is a closed room, it is private.
Just because it's possible doesn't mean it's right. Thanks for your understanding.
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I believe in general, not just your balcony. Bedroom, bathroom? Trouble. If they are in their living room, dining room, kitchen, other general room digging for gold?

Regardless, my point is that privacy is not something you passively expect by default while using the Internet.
 
If you look into macOS or the iPhone with tools (available for anybody) today, you will find something unpleasant. E.g. all WIFI connections have been inherited over several iPhones/Macs for years, even the location database is somewhat dubious.

Apple should be careful how far they obey government regulations, because they lose a huge future market based on customer confidence if they allow themselves (business model and Tim's words in honour) to be turned into a Google-like whore.

I hope for a more active and competent disassembling community. Currently you can usually still do simple plain text searches to screen macOS and iOS. It should stay that way.
 
RedGala said:
Enough of a reason to ditch android and all google apps
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This. Also, with certain things that will be coming out about them and their criminal activity/involvement in areas soon, they will probably fold. Start making alternative plans now if you're deep in the google ecosystem.
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StellarVixen said:
2016-2017
Collecting the location information by using the data from cell towers even with the location services turned OFF, thus telling the end user YOU WILL BE TRACKED NO MATTER WHAT.

And now this...

If Apple did this, people would be already in front of their doors with pitchforks and torches.
Google has been getting away with so many crimes basically since its inception.

But, they will not get away for any much longer.
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"We have someone who can see!" - They Live
 
m0sher said:
Well looks like I’ll be moving to Apple Maps exclusively.

I’m glad Apple has been doing a lot of revamping and getting it up to par, couldn’t come at a better time.

Apple data privacy is hands-down better than Google’s data mining activity where Goggle even does it against your will.

Can’t wait for iOS 12 this fall.
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I’m closing my gmail accounts and switching to duck duck go.

No more google services for me.
 
Sikh said:
this isnt 2012. when I see posts like yours, I see how ignorant some people still are. Ive been using maps and google maps side by side and maps is just as accurate if not more. Apple also answers to reports of places faster than google. My last place couldnt be found by google maps and they sent me to some place 20 minutes away. Apple maps marked my place but it was on the main road outside it, i put a report in and within 4 days next time I mapped home, they had it fixed.

have you tried apple maps recently or are you just ignorant and dont expect apple to fix maps?
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everything tracked to icloud? dah f are you talking about? Apple cares more about your privacy than Android and not signing into Android is a big joke. You still have to sign in to download apps and if you side load, thats a bigger risk. Good try on saying Google is better than Apple thou, lmao
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You can't make the same Apple Maps being equivalent when talking about traffic and congestion avoidance. And yes I use both.
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AFDoc said:
Im by no means a legal expert but you can bet your ass google has a ton of them.... and the wording is probably just vague enough to let it pass legal muster.
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What's duck duck go? I've heard of duck duck goose......
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I feel the same way... UNTIL a government entity decides they want to use Google's info about me and I have no clue google handed them that info.....
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The fallacy of your government using your info is the exact same legal instrument in USA and other countries that allows them to access Google's info about you also applies to your cell carrier, Social media, Bank, Credit Union, Onstar or other in car service plus all internet history from your ISP, not just Google's. And please don't jump up with VPN, in today's world, just wishful thinking that any of them aren't comprised if the need is there.
 
I'm obviously missing something by all the angst I am reading.
  • In Google, I review my privacy settings 2x a year.
  • I check yearly to see what Google has on me.
  • I set device settings to align with what I want as to privacy.
  • I review device settings after each update.
After I saw this article (saw it originally on Ars Technica) I reviewed my Google settings, my device settings, and Google knowledge on me. I saw nothing I did not expect.

Note: I use a lot of Google services.
Note 2: When I pulled my location history, Google shows a blank, as per my settings.
Note 3: For those who don't know how and want tp see what Google has on you and how to remove it LINK
 
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sinsin07 said:
You say this:

Then go on to say this:

YouTube is Google.

Nah
There is a bigger question here to answer, it resides in your first sentence.
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I know but I only use google , don’t use nothing else so they won’t have my pics contacts anything only my YouTube history
 
sn said:
Yes, I am. I thought I had completely turned off location tracking when I turned off the ‘Location History’ setting. Sorry we’re not all as smart as you.
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Hey, I thought I had too. But I’m not completely shocked to find out they screwed us anyway - which was my point.

Sound ethics and tech companies are not synonymous.
 
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