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Steve Jobs on iOS Location Issue: 'We Don't Track Anyone'
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yes there is a problem. because it's unencrypted and everyone with access to your phone can read the information. the software tool they published showed my travel of the last 6 month quite accurately.
I don't want someone picking up my phone from my desk at work and find out what trips to what company I did. (it works internationally btw)
also I don't think the IRS or other tax collection agencies need to know when I was where.
Who is "everyone" with access with your phone? And my iPhone is either right next to me at my desk/home and in my pocket 99% of the time.
Holy Guacamole. But I'm not worried. It doesn't know my favorite pizza. Yet.
And in my case - not much fuel for password hackers to know my challenge question answers, but the fact is that more and more info about us can be reverse engineered from our digital "tracks" to build up quite a picture.
Speaking of pictures, I was just hearing that it's possible to gather other bits, e.g., from EXIF data on Flickr, Picasa, etc., including user annotations, avatar names from forums, etc. Also mentioned was a technique of "surrounding" your IP address from the servers it interacts with over time to pin its location down. And there are a growing number of other sources - e.g., facebook (besides what most of us make public there, just start some stupid app that requires "access to your basic information" and give the app away for the info) and other social and dating sites.
The "net" result (so to speak) is that little to none of the data may compromise you on its own - but when assembled could be quite a portfolio of info about you (and your associations and patterns of associations) that could be used to hack your ID, track you and more.
Not to mention if you live in any major city and go to stores, public buildings, etc., you're being photographed many, many times per day. (In London, up to thousands of times per day, e.g.)
But for all the arguing in the larger media and here, the simple question of why THIS file exists, and what its real intended use is hasn't yet been directly addressed by nearly anyone, especially anyone in a position to actually know.
It's not there for no reason and didn't program itself to exist. That doesn't pass any Occam's Razor or smell test. So what the hell IS the story with it??
Meanwhile, for get off the grid wishers, your moment of zen:
There are quite a few things the media has wrong, but what it does have correct is asking "what is the point of the location database"
Unfortunately with every one of these issues these people exist, on both side. The people who make too much of an issue and make it seem as though people with legit concerns are just being too anal and those who downplay a legit issue and call EVERYONE else trolls or etc even if they have legitimate concerns and are not caught up in the hype. I see both types posting here.
Agree.
Citation?
+1 the people crying about this are just plain ignorant and have NO idea how much stuff records their location. If they are so worried they need to get rid of their car GPS too. Its tracking info is MUCH more accurate and it stores it in the device. Oh and if your camera has geotagging don't forget that too!
Plus what people don't understand is that this information has to be obtained from having the device and knowing how to get the file and read it. If your phone never gets stolen you have nothing to worry about. If your phone gets stolen guess what, you also have nothing to worry about. Theives are going to wipe it anyway so they don't get caught.
Its does for the paranoid people, after all Apple is the new IBM big brother is watching you conspiracy. Where Google even though they are on the news a big about this, is the Unicorn in their dreams.
Nothing to see here...just the unabashed evilness of Apple shining through. I'm sure Apple will 'flash the wad' to the right people and make this issue go away...sad
Welcome to the future guys.
Why suddenly use the words "we" and "us"? You been a very anti (any) apple products and simply calls anyone not in agreement with you as fanbois.
Maybe you ought to change your name that befits you, Full of -aps.
Guess the Apple Haters care ... since they can't attack the iOS on any other grounds they have to either make up funny arguments or overblow every tiny none-issue (and leave out the facts how it looks on their favorite platform).
And of course the press cares since there is a new thing where they can attach their favorite 'gate' to.
"We don't track anyone." probably true, but he forgot to say the rest of the phrase.
...the file is there if the FBI, CIA, NSA or whoever needs it.
And they can get the same data from AT&T or Verizon from tower pings.
Don't you watch CSI?
So if you have some device or service that you use in your life and you didnt tale the time to understand every nuance about it do we get to call you ignorant as well?
Well, just look at the history of PR, or the history of Microsoft, and you'll see this is a standard practice. Just do any search of this sort of thing, it's common.
Steve:
You may not track anyone. But you can. We'd like to know you cannot.
Please address that issue.
Thanks
You may not track anyone. But you can. We'd like to know you cannot.
Please address that issue.
Thanks
The info circulating around is false.
Steve
PS shouldn't you be at your gym right now? It's Monday morning, after all.
Steve
PS shouldn't you be at your gym right now? It's Monday morning, after all.
"We don't track anyone." probably true, but he forgot to say the rest of the phrase.
...the file is there if the FBI, CIA, NSA or whoever needs it.
And they can get that data directly from the telecos without access to your phone. I highly doubt this database exists for that purpose when there are much more seamless/invisible ways to get the information. (Waits patiently for someone to down vote this reply since I mentioned the government getting information from the telcos...ignoring the fact I never took a position on it personally. So much for staying informed.)
So what?
Who cares if they know where you are. There are millions of iPhones, what are they gonna do? Track you down and shoot you if you switch to an Android device or something? Doubt it
Who cares if they know where you are. There are millions of iPhones, what are they gonna do? Track you down and shoot you if you switch to an Android device or something? Doubt it
Agreed. Google's darling Android doesn't just track cell towers. They've found it recording wi-fi networks near the user as well and transmitting that data... like every couple of minutes. (No wonder the batteries don't last on droid for more than 3-5 hours). I wish I could find the link to the article I read that in. It's certain models that have been found to do it.... right down to your GPS coordinates. Why does Google need to know this? And their users are now inadvertently spying on other people. Google has no rights to info on my wi-fi network just because someone drove past my house with an Android phone in the car.
Yet I use Google every day, but I at least know they're watching me.
http://youtu.be/7YvAYIJSSZY
Ok, here's the information that's actually known about the consolidated.db file:
1) It records the locations of nearby wi-fi access points and cell towers.
2) When location services were originally added to the iPhone, the file had a different name and was stored in a different location. (It was moved as part of the multi-tasking updates.)
3) The purpose of the file has been explicitly spelled out by Apple *from the beginning*. It is used *by* location services to calculate your current position in order to be able to display your position faster than would be possible solely using GPS. (It's part of the Assisted GPS process.)
4) There is absolutely no evidence that the file's contents are ever transmitted to anyone. It exists on the iPhone, and in the backup(s) of said iPhone.
"In the meantime, government agencies in a number of countries have launched investigations into the situation, seeking explanations from Apple and details on how users can protect their privacy."
Don't lend your phone and don't LOSE it.
DUH!
Don't lend your phone and don't LOSE it.
DUH!
How do you even know if this is true. Oh, I know, I'm a MacRumors reader. I sent an email to Steve Jobs and he said that Apple is storing all of this tracking information in their new data center, that is why it is such a large facility with a tremendous storage capacity.