GPS, phone tracking

[Whippet]

I fail to see why the world generally has allowed big companies to track them and annoy them by sending adds for unsolicted stuff on every screen you use and manipulating your buyer choices for their profit. But obviously I am the odd one out and most other people think that is good for them ?? Hmmm.
Jaahn

Hi.

I agree.

I suspect that most of the population are not interested in (or likely are not even aware of) the transaction that occurs an a daily basis. They give up information about them, their lifestyle and consumer habits for free, for others to moneitise or use for other purposes.

Cheers

 

[Kim Luck]

Great points Andrew!
One on the horizon is the wish of the WHO to take control of future pandemics and rules like lockdowns etc. (their definition of) over elected governments. Admittedly governments have to agree to be sidelined in this manner. Our future government seems to be enthusiastic for this proposal. Obviously i'm not.
The thing with over the top surveillance it would be easy for governments to overreach...

With the COVID-19 world death toll now standing at 6.3 Million it is not hard to see why the WHO should be involved in any future pandemic. Their response certainly couldn't be any less co-ordinated than that of than our own and many other governments. Their charter is based on health science, not conspiracy........

 

[JoBo]

Did i say that they shouldn't be involved? Obviously we disagree about the extent, of course they should be but given their stuff ups with the last one it is obvious that politics (incompetence if you like) comes into their decisions. E.g. not stopping flights to and from Wuhan/China initially, in fact recommending not to do so. There are quite a few other dud decisions they made...

 

[AlexB]

I received a notification on my phone the other day from Google titled something like " Your April Activities" (I deleted it so I'm not 100% sure of the heading).

It's likely your phone had a software update and google have installed a new application to collate your travels.
One of my pet hates is how google continually tries to get the gps to stay on so it can track and ask me how did i rate my trip to Bunnings.
The Waze (navigation app) on shutdown used to revert it back to off, when Google bought them it always stays on. Had a software update last week, today when I turned off the GPS it prompted me with a big warning that my apps will lose functionality.

I always ensure that the 'Web & App Activity' setting for the google account linked to the phone is turned off and that personalised ads is also disabled.

Google misled consumers about the collection and use of location data

The Federal Court has found that Google LLC and Google Australia Pty Ltd (together, Google) misled consumers about personal location data collected through Android mobile devices between January 2017 and December 2018, in a world-first enforcement action brought by the ACCC.

www.accc.gov.au

 

[Kim Luck]

Did i say that they shouldn't be involved? Obviously we disagree about the extent, of course they should be but given their stuff ups with the last one it is obvious that politics (incompetence if you like) comes into their decisions. E.g. not stopping flights to and from Wuhan/China initially, in fact recommending not to do so. There are quite a few other dud decisions they made...

You forgot the obligatory IMHO!

 

[JoBo]

We both did

 

[pugrambo]

SO we know phones are tracked, who can track a phone ??
I see insurance companies advertising that they can find people when they break down even though the people don't know exactly where they are
So who and how is this information obtained ??

 

[1972Ren]

Hi.

I agree.

I suspect that most of the population are not interested in (or likely are not even aware of) the transaction that occurs an a daily basis. They give up information about them, their lifestyle and consumer habits for free, for others to moneitise or use for other purposes.

Cheers

That's not entirely true.
Yes people give it up knowingly.
But they give it up because they, like I, are receiving a swathe of benefits in return eg social media, email, every google tool (and there are many), cloud storage, navigation and so on. These all cost loads of money - multiple billions - to develop and maintain, and neither you nor I pay a cent for it. One thing we do get, however, is relevant targeted advertising, rather than random. Personally, I quite like that, and have found it useful. Google particularly, and FB too, give you a great amount of control over what is shared with them, and much of it can be deleted by you if you like.
Yes, Google et al are monetising information about you, but they are partially using that to fund services to you. That's a fair trade, in my book, and apparently in most people's as well.

The only entity which does not allow that, is government.

 

[1972Ren]

So who and how is this information obtained ??

Likely because Location Services are switched to On, on your phone, and when you install apps they all ask for app permissions to look at all sorts of data on your phone. It isn't mandatory, and most people pay no attention to it, but you can turn it all off / uninstall if you like.

 

[Whippet]

That's not entirely true.
Yes people give it up knowingly.
But they give it up because they, like I, are receiving a swathe of benefits in return eg social media, email, every google tool (and there are many), cloud storage, navigation and so on. These all cost loads of money - multiple billions - to develop and maintain, and neither you nor I pay a cent for it. One thing we do get, however, is relevant targeted advertising, rather than random. Personally, I quite like that, and have found it useful. Google particularly, and FB too, give you a great amount of control over what is shared with them, and much of it can be deleted by you if you like.
Yes, Google et al are monetising information about you, but they are partially using that to fund services to you. That's a fair trade, in my book, and apparently in most people's as well.

The only entity which does not allow that, is government.

Hi.

Fair enough, if the swathe of benefits and targeted advertising is what one wants.

I know that I am likely in the minority of mainstream society. But I choose to not have any social media accounts or use social media, with the only exception of Whats App for my family and a few other closed groups. I get my news by reading newspapers and independent media, not what social media wants me to consume. I choose to not use cloud storage. I choose to not have any store cards. I choose to not have a voice activated device in our home.

When we had a GPS device that suction capped onto our windscreen, you simple had to purchase it and pay for a map upgrade every few years, no advertising. I would be very happy to pay for apps, providing that got rid of advertising.

I agree Apps on smartphones can be very convenient, and for travelling they are great for navigation and googling things using mobile data.

One of the things in the world I detest is advertising and the hell bent drive of every organisation to sell, sell sell, often churn selling. ie. buy something today that won't last long, because we are desperate for some cashflow, then buy the same thing again in a few years time. This way of consuming and living is creating so much waste that our planet is drowning in it. I hate waste and I hate marketers fooling people yet again. But hey, that’s what drives me, others are different.

Fashion weareth out more cloth, than doth the man. I think this is attributed to Shakespeare, but I couldn't confirm for this post.

Cheers.

 

[1972Ren]

Hi.

One of the things in the world I detest is advertising and the hell bent drive of every organisation to sell, sell sell, often churn selling. ie. buy something today that won't last long, because we are desperate for some cashflow, then buy the same thing again in a few years time. This way of consuming and living is creating so much waste that our planet is drowning in it. I hate waste and I hate marketers fooling people yet again. But hey, that’s what drives me, others are different.

Fashion weareth out more cloth, than doth the man. I think this is attributed to Shakespeare, but I couldn't confirm for this post.

Cheers.

Whippet, I completely understand that, and how it relates to your feelings about tracking, big tech etc.
But you can avoid pretty much all of it you like. You can still buy the standalone nav devices. I bought one for someone only recently. With free lifetime map updates.

 

[AlexB]

SO we know phones are tracked, who can track a phone ??
I see insurance companies advertising that they can find people when they break down even though the people don't know exactly where they are
So who and how is this information obtained ??

@pugrambo A few months back I was 30km from Albury and my trip computer said I had 60km range when it ran out of petrol. I called NRMA and recorded msg advised it was a long queue for an operator but I could use the app I had installed on my phone for the fuel discounts. I opened the NRMA app, turned on the gps, clicked on 'Broken Down' and it opened up a quite accurate map and arrow of where I was, even showed the dual carriageway, answered a few more questions and got msg that service guy was being despatched with a 25min ETA. I turn the gps off, pay $20 for 10l of fuel and I'm on my way.

 

[Prrrgo]

Turn it up JoBo.

One on the horizon is the wish of the WHO to take control of future pandemics and rules like lockdowns etc. (their definition of) over elected governments. Admittedly governments have to agree to be sidelined in this manner. Our future government seems to be enthusiastic for this proposal. Obviously i'm not.

This is just over the top conspiracy crap, and it's beneath you to be repeating it. I have looked closely at the WHO intent in this issue and it is simply and purely to create internationally shared understanding of individual nation's wording, it is not a control attempt at all. That is clearly left in the domain of each individual nation.
And tell me moderators what this conversation has at all to do with fantastic French Cars.

 

[Kenfuego]

Years ago in the USA, I drove a borrowed car that if the remote operator noticed an unusual event, collision, near miss, or Australian style instinctive U turn in the backwoods of another state, the operator verbally contacted the driver and checked to see all is well. This was an application that was available to be taken up when the new vehicle was sold to its Michigan owner (2003). But quite handy if you actually needed some advice, breakdown service or assistance.

I am sure the technology has moved further along since those days. I guess as long as you know and agree, or a phone owner agrees there could be two way benefits. I guess if worried you could encase your phone in a Faraday cage or a RFID device like those that were being sold to protect against credit card theft with a foil lining and wait for a smoke signal on the horizon advising you to uncase it to accept an incoming phone call.

By now The Gonz should have had the time to design some whizzbang electronic device that will selectively send out deceptive anti tracking advice to confuse google and whoever else wants access to your important travel data with a dial up selection of security that will satisfy `all, probably a costly add-on that will encapsulate your data. Gonz I only want 2c trailing fee on each one sold and we both should be set for life..

Ken

 

[Greenpeace]

And tell me moderators what this conversation has at all to do with fantastic French Cars.

I started the thread.
All my movements were sent to me by Google, my daily drive is a Citroen, my weekend car is a Citroen, my bicycle is a Peugeot, all tracked via my phone.
Someone has already pointed out in another thread on here that there are dozens of (often very popular) non French car related threads on this site.
Word Association has over 8 million views, yet it isn't French car specific.

 

[Greenpeace]

By now The Gonz should have had the time to design some whizzbang electronic device that will selectively send out deceptive anti tracking advice to confuse google and whoever else wants access to your important travel data with a dial up selection of security that will satisfy `all, probably a costly add-on that will encapsulate your data. Gonz I only want 2c trailing fee on each one sold and we both should be set for life..

Ken

Maybe some chaff launchers like the fighter jets use might confuse them.

 

[Matthew]

Turnoff wifi this is being used whilst your out, GPS is not on normally if in low res mode.

 

[Greenpeace]

Turnoff wifi this is being used whilst your out, GPS is not on normally if in low res mode.

I don't use the Wifi function on my phone. I leave it off otherwise it connects to the rearview camera and I lose sound on the phone.

 

[Matthew]

Then they will find it hard to track you, I just got my 2021 review from good old google, shows I travelled a fair chunck of the east coast to Tassie and back, nice trip.

 

[Greenpeace]

Then they will find it hard to track you, I just got my 2021 review from good old google, shows I travelled a fair chunck of the east coast to Tassie and back, nice trip.

Yes but I'm the OP and the April review I got sent was 100% accurate and my Wi-Fi is off?
I'm guessing there must be a gyrometer in the phone for it to tell whether I am driving, motorcycle riding, cycling or walking?
I probably make it easy as I carry my phone in my front pocket just below the hip so it could easily tell walking from cycling; and I guess the lean angles distinguish motorcycling from driving?