Google admits it tracked user location data even when the setting was turned off

[DrMacintosh]

Quote

Android phones gather your location data and send it to Google, even if you’ve turned off location services and don’t have a SIM card

Quote

Through Google’s practices this year, an individual’s particular location within a quarter-mile radius or less could be determined with the addresses of multiple cell towers. This has particular security implications for individuals who wish to not be tracked, meaning that the safest way to avoid being tracked at all is probably to stick to burner phones. It could also create a bigger target for hackers looking to obtain personal information.

Quote

An update that removes this cell tower data-collecting feature will roll out by the end of this month, according to Google.

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/21/16684818/google-location-tracking-cell-tower-data-android-os-firebase-privacy 

 

Apparently Google had been tracking user data and location even when you had location services turned off and didn't have a SIM card. They did apparently by aggregating cell tower data but you can take a look at it for yourself in the article. 

 

Google said they would be rolling out a patch soon to reverse this but it shouldn't have been a thing in the first place. 

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

2 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/21/16684818/google-location-tracking-cell-tower-data-android-os-firebase-privacy 

 

Apparently Google had been tracking user data and location even when you had location services turned off and didn't have a SIM card. They did apparently by aggregating cell tower data but you can take a look at it for yourself in the article. 

 

Google said they would be rolling out a patch soon to reverse this but it shouldn't have been a thing in the first place. 

Hopefully I'm not the only one who's not surprised. 

[ARikozuM]

inb4 Good Guy Google Goons attack.

[Rune]

Water is wet.

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, Rune said:

Water is wet.

How does that relate? 

 

Off is On? 

[Rune]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

How does that relate? 

 

Off is On? 

Google is an information company. If there is information to be had, they shall have it by any means necessary.

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, Rune said:

Google is an information company.

All the more reason to avoid them. 

[ARikozuM]

3 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

How does that relate? 

 

Off is On? 

Google's new book Google's google Ways to Surf the Net Track Users now available at a book store near you.

Spoiler

google = the number 1 followed by one million zeroes. 

Spoiler

No, I'm not typing it out. 

 

 

[Bananasplit_00]

yay! this was totaly unexpexted! definatly unexpected!

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

yay! this was totaly unexpexted! definatly unexpected!

 

6 minutes ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

Hopefully I'm not the only one who's not surprised. 

Its sad that this is expected of Google and yet people are ok with using their services as if they weren't blatantly lying to you. 

[ItsMitch]

I'm so shocked I cant explain how shocked a shocked man like myself can be, so shockingly shocked. 

[vanished]

I bet they have some excuse for this like "turning it off in the settings causes your phone to opt out of sending us data" *hushed whispers under their breath* (but we might still track you externally using other methods)

 

Edit: actually if that first quote is true it's not even that, which would already have been bad enough... it literally is just ignoring the setting.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Ryan_Vickers

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

yay! this was totaly unexpexted! definatly unexpected!

Shannon Liao be like:

 

[jools]

google has located you "Step away from the terminal"

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

 

Its sad that this is expected of Google and yet people are ok with using their services as if they weren't blatantly lying to you. 

gimme a good option then. IOS devices for the same price are a lot slower and more locked down, i can root but thats still android or jailbreak but even then what you can do is limited

[DrMacintosh]

1 minute ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

IOS devices for the same price are a lot slower

Yeah for the same price. If you buy a 3 generation old iPhone its going to be slower than the latest competition from Android. 

[sof006]

8 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

All the more reason to avoid them. 

If you use the internet good luck avoiding them. Whether you use the Google website or not you're still being tracked. Google ads all over the internet, traffic on certain sites will route through Google. Basically, you're using Google without even realising.

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

Yeah for the same price. If you buy a 3 generation old iPhone its going to be slower than the latest competition from Android. 

but see, thats my only option. so would you perfer a vastly better phone hardware wise, or getting spied on just a tad less? because Apple probably sends all your shit and collects it as well

[DrMacintosh]

4 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

because Apple probably sends all your shit and collects it as well

The difference between Google and Apple when it comes to data collection is that Google makes its money from its data collection. Apple makes its money from selling you Services and Products and doesn't really need your information, just your money. 

 

Google doesn't sell services, it gives them away for free and they don't make enough from their extremely limited hardware line to keep them going. 

[BloodyWaters]

Is this really a suprise?

[divito]

8 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Its sad that this is expected of Google and yet people are ok with using their services as if they weren't blatantly lying to you. 

Expecting and knowing how Google does business doesn't make using their services seem weird. I use their services understanding the benefits and their scope, regardless of what they say about it. PR exists for a reason.

 

People also complained about Apple's tracking in what was it, 2014 or so.

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, BloodyWaters said:

Is this really a suprise?

I'd hope you'd want the companies to use to be accountable and not lie to you. 

[mynameisjuan]

I mean, ok....I mean facebook even tracks me too and ask if I can broadcast where I am to the public...This is not a concern. This concerns me more with companies that give no shits about security and the chances of that info getting in the wrong hands.

[Eduard the weeb]

I kinda assumed this because I am a google local guide and I turned off location for a week and they still some how knew were I had gone.

 

I guess If you like android and you don't want google to follow you just leave your phone in your car or just fucking deal with it.

[mr moose]

This is old news.  Basically the average user just does not care if they are being tracked or not.  

 

 

2 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

 

Google doesn't sell services, it gives them away for free and they don't make enough from their extremely limited hardware line to keep them going. 

 

 

They are making shit tons of money from their products and services.    Googles business model is not the google phone you know.