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Telcos Waking Up To the Value of Your Location

Posted by kdawson on from the cdrs-from-your-cars dept.

holy_calamity writes "Cell phone networks represent probably the most effective data collectors of all time: almost everyone's movements and communications are logged in some way by these firms thanks to the ubiquity of cell phones. Now they're beginning to wake up to the value of that data, as researchers mine call records to study travel and social patterns at previously unimaginable scales. Not surprisingly, some are thinking about how to monetize that data, too."

3 of 178 comments (clear)

  1. Re:This has already been done before... by Gr8Apes · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm pretty sure this will fall afoul of some existing law regarding wiretapping or some such. Unless, of course, the customer opts in, or fails to opt out.

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    The cesspool just got a check and balance.
  2. Re:Value by Steve+S · · Score: 4, Informative

    Here you go:
    http://code.google.com/p/android-scripting/

    "Scripts can be run interactively in a terminal, in the background, or via Locale. Python, Perl, JRuby, Lua, BeanShell, JavaScript, Tcl, and shell are currently supported"

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  3. Re:prepaid is the way to go for privacy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    The bill is already written. http://www.switched.com/2010/05/27/proposed-bill-would-require-ids-for-prepaid-cell-phones/