One thing I am always aware of are apps that want permission to access Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi and/or Networks.
Even though Bluetooth is very short ranged it can still be used to tie you into a location within a database based on other database records that are more detailed.
Yeah, I love playing you “My Great Dog-sitting Simulator” (not a real app) but you do not need access to my BT. The OS handles sending your audio to my headphones!
Teams is the worst, you can’t join any call if you don’t allow it to scan your local network. I wish the executives a very nice and agonizing death.
I haven’t done an extensive survey or anything, but every modern router I’ve interacted with supports setting up a secondary WiFi network with guest isolation (so anything on that SSID can’t see any network device besides the router and itself). This is useful for apps or hardware that is untrusted and/or demands unjustified permissions.
Correct, using the guest network is better but I think turning off WiFi and just using mobile data is sufficient. I wonder if the permission applies to cellular connectivity as well.
On what device? I have Nearby Devices and Location disallowed on Android, and it still works fine.
Side note. Teams is the worst. Just, period.
I remember when Bluetooth started demanding location permissions. You’ll never convince me that it’s functionally required or provides any benefit other than furthering efforts to spy on the user.
When it started being rolled out, I avoided any app or hardware that made that demand. Sadly, that’s no longer an option if I want any Bluetooth at all.
It’s not like Bluetooth started demanding location permissions, the conceptual model of the permission was revised: having access Bluetooth means an app could determine your location via a form of lateration.
In earlier versions of smartphone operating systems, this was not transparent to users lacking the technical background, so Bluetooth also requiring location access is actually an attempt at making users aware of that. I’m not an iOS developer, so I can’t comment on iPhones, but on Android versions prior to 11, having access to Bluetooth meant an app would be able to determine your location.
Today, you can require the permission ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, which expresses that your app might use Bluetooth to obtain location information on Android. Also, if you’re just scanning for nearby devices to connect your app to, but don’t want users to be confused why your smart fridge app needs to know your precise location, you can declare a permission flag (neverForLocation) and Android will strip beacon information from the scan results, better asserting your intentions.
So, overall: no, there is nothing nefarious going on, it was always possible to determine your location via Bluetooth, and the update to the permission model was an honest improvement that actually benefits you as user.
Now, there are still plenty of shady apps around, and apps that are poorly written - don’t use those.
I knew that someone would try to convince me. You won’t convince me.
… Though your argument is pretty compelling.
Use FOSS as much as possible, pressure your gov to implement laws against tracking (against what Snowden showed us).
There is no need to know the location and history, and the communication of everyone everywhere.
I hope Google gets split up, that’ll probably be the beginning of the end for targeted ads (I would hope)
I wouldn’t think thats how they are splitting it up … Basically just affecting market shares of some markets (targeted ads being one of them + the ecosystem pushing you into it).
I thought chrome, yt, search, gmail/docs, android, etc. would all be separate entities, making them less willing to share data for financial reasons
If you have a device that’s actively connected to a cellular network, and has been while in your home or work, then your only option is to leave it behind or turn it off. That includes your car if it was made in the past decade, if nothing else, so it can catch OTA firmware updates, and send telemetry data.
GPS and location services don’t mean shit when your carrier keeps logs of where you’ve been based on cell-tower triangulation.
Do we know how carrier shares cell data?
In another thread, it was suggested thet “cant” just sell it like they isp traffic data for example.
Obviously the state can get it since is logged. Not sure if they would need s warrant tho
I work for a telecom. In my country there is well regulated legislation that specifies how and when the police can ask the telecoms for cell location data, usually used for missing people.
They also provide large scale, anonymised data for crowd movement analysis. For example it was used to demonstrate how 60,000 people moved into and out of a stadium located for historical reasons in an old-fashioned, dense residential area, in preparation for the arrival of English football fans.
You also have to assume that your government has never illegally obtained data it shouldn’t have in a shady manner.
It also doesn’t bode well for what happens if your country falls into fascism, as all that data will still exist to be systematically, and retroactively used against you.
This video, where Veritaseum hacks LinusTechTips’ phone, gives a good overview of how it’s possible to track cellphones or hack sms, even without asking a carrier or having physical access to the device: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wVyu7NB7W6Y
TLDW: cellphone networks rely on old, unsecure infrastructure
GPS had been implemented in vehicles in the 90’s. Most people are now finding out about the modems.
Yeah but it was a luxury, and most likely an RX-only unit that only had a GPS radio. Even if you had a 2g cell radio in the 90’s in your car it’d be incredibly limited, and horrendously expensive for something you could carry in your pocket.
These days even the cheapest model of Honda Civic will have a modern internet connected network of microcontrollers and computers which all receive OTA updates, many of which handle telemetry.
Don’t just give location access to any app that requests it, especially background location access.
Even my taxi apps receive/lose location access automatically on open/close.
Pretty easy steps; get app you are interested in. Deny it access to things it doesn’t need when asked. If the app proceeds to not work until you enable, delete. Otherwise, enjoy app without the unnecessary permissions.
Most apps literally don’t work right is you do not enable all location services
