Since the beginning of 2017, Android phones have been collecting the addresses of nearby cellular towers—even when location services are disabled—and sending that data back to Google. The result is that Google, the unit of Alphabet behind Android, has access to data about individuals’ locations and their movements that go far beyond a reasonable consumer expectation of privacy.
8 thoughts on “Since the beginning of 2017, Android phones have been collecting the addresses of nearby cellular towers—even when…”
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As Joshua A.C. Newman put it, the reason Android is cheap is the product they’re selling is your information.
< ![CDATA[As Joshua A.C. Newman put it, the reason Android is cheap is the product they're selling is your information.]]>
I’m shocked.
< ![CDATA[I'm shocked.]]>
BUT IT’S OPEN
< ![CDATA[BUT IT'S OPEN]]>
Apple’s got that stuff too though, right?
< ![CDATA[Apple’s got that stuff too though, right?]]>
Jeff Zahari Not that I am aware of.
There was a thing a few years ago about a file of commonly-used cell towers being kept on the phone (which I think was used to speed connectivity, but don’t quote me), but that was eliminated a few versions ago.
< ![CDATA[Jeff Zahari Not that I am aware of. There was a thing a few years ago about a file of commonly-used cell towers being kept on the phone (which I think was used to speed connectivity, but don't quote me), but that was eliminated a few versions ago.]]>
Jeff Zahari Engineers have been abandoning Apple because they want access to more personal information. The business model is different so the behavior models are different.
< ![CDATA[Jeff Zahari Engineers have been abandoning Apple because they want access to more personal information. The business model is different so the behavior models are different.]]>
That is, apple doesn’t want to violate that trust because it harms their consumer relations. Engineers want the information because it would let them build cooler stuff, not caring about the ethical questions.
< ![CDATA[That is, apple doesn’t want to violate that trust because it harms their consumer relations. Engineers want the information because it would let them build cooler stuff, not caring about the ethical questions.]]>
This doesn’t come as a surprise to me: I never turn on GPS (except when I need navigation) yet Google local guides keeps suggesting me to add information to the places I’ve been :/
But isn’t there an option to tell Google not to store local information about you?
< ![CDATA[This doesn't come as a surprise to me: I never turn on GPS (except when I need navigation) yet Google local guides keeps suggesting me to add information to the places I've been :/ But isn't there an option to tell Google not to store local information about you?]]>