Google Starts Tracking Retail Store Visits On Android and iOS

recoiledsnake writes with news of Google tracking a bit more of your life. From the article: "Google is beta-testing a program that uses smartphone location data to determine when consumers visit stores, according to agency executives briefed on the program by Google employees. Google then connects these store visits to Google searches conducted on smartphones. If someone conducts a Google mobile search for 'screwdrivers,' for instance, a local hardware store could bid to have its store listing served to that user. By pairing that person's location data with its database of store listings, Google can see if the person who saw that ad subsequently visited the store.It is easiest for Google to conduct this passive location tracking on Android users, since Google has embedded location tracking into the software. Once Android users opt in to location services, Google starts collecting their location data as continuously as technologically possible."

Comments

surprised, yet not surprised.

[noh8rz10]

and the noose tightens a little bit more...

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[srmalloy]

Yet another reason not to opt-in to data collection...

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[noh8rz10]

it's not that simple. it's tied to location services on a phone. like, you want phone navigation? that requires location services. you want it to show your location on a map? that requires location services. oh btdubs they also make records of your every location.

for iOS this is pretty easy, just don't use the core google apps (maps, google search, gmail, chrome). for android, you're kinda screwed, because it's baked into the OS. Another reason to stick with iOS. I can't say anything about windows phone OS.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[Jane Q. Public]

"for android, you're kinda screwed, because it's baked into the OS."

No, it isn't. I'm getting pretty sick of these falsities being repeated.

It's baked into some APPS in the OS. You aren't obligated to use them. You can disable them and use 3rd-party tools like Waze or any of the many others.

My location tracking is off most of the time. When it is on, I use 3rd-party software. Network analysis shows that my Android phone isn't "phoning home" to Google with my location.

I sometimes use Google Maps to find things. But then I am not at the location I am trying to find.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[noh8rz10]

> i prefer to use a phone os from a company that doesn't sell my recorded locations to others.

And please, which company would that be?

casting a wide net, there are four major mobile phone OS's. Here's a link to news about one OS capturing and selling location information:

Google Starts Tracking Retail Store Visits On Android and iOS

do you have any links for iOS, blackberry, or windows phone?

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[MacDork]

like, you want phone navigation? that requires location services.

You can enable the GPS without using Google's location services. I used Google maps today. Location services off.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[93 Escort Wagon]

You can disable them and use 3rd-party tools like Waze or any of the many others.

FYI Google bought Waze several months ago, and the two services are being integrated already. I'm seeing Google ads on Waze at times, and Waze alerts show up on Google Maps.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[Anonymous Coward]

and the noose tightens a little bit more...

It should be mentioned that Google's admob transfers your location data using a constant encryption key. According to the Snowden leaks, the NSA decided using cell tower data to track everyone's location was too inefficient and ultimately gave it up. Now I think I see why. I'm sure no one at the NSA has ever decompiled Google's code and snarfed their constant encryption keys.

These invasive practices should be outlawed. The people working at Google should be ashamed of themselves. They are exactly what facilitates the NSA and their ilk in stalking every phone carrying person on the planet.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[TubeSteak]

I question Google's ability to accurately track your store habits.
More often than not, Google Maps puts stores in the wrong place, if not the wrong side of the street.

It's a problem that I find curious, since my Garmin GPS (which I use a lot more) gives me that problem much less often.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[Jane Q. Public]

well it's hella convenient for location services to be on for core phone functions, like search and maps. you use these things in so many ways that it becomes very fluid. which is why i prefer to use a phone os from a company that doesn't sell my recorded locations to others.

Apparently you completely missed my point.

Location services on Android phones do NOT "call home" to Google. Google APPS do.

Don't use the Google apps, and it's not an issue. And by the way, this is is true for BOTH Android and iOS. Google apps will report your location the same amount and the same way, whichever phone you are using.

The only difference is that Google bundles their apps with Android. Apple doesn't bundle them with iOS.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[BasilBrush]

Don't use the Google apps, and it's not an issue. And by the way, this is is true for BOTH Android and iOS. Google apps will report your location the same amount and the same way, whichever phone you are using.

I'm afraid you're missing the fact that when Google, does apps for iOS, they need to stay within the app review guidelines, including on privacy issues. Which excludes lots of bad behaviour. On Android, Google are free to do whatever they want, within the law.

You claim there is no difference, but that's a big one.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[noh8rz10]

ok, here's the deal. On android phones, the default browser and maps apps phone home all ur info. On iOS phones, the default browser and maps app do not phone home all ur info. This is the difference between android and iOS. agreed? now, which one sounds better to you?

Re: surprised, yet not surprised.

[ThatsMyNick]

That is bs. Google maps does need to use Google Location services, it can use GPS just fine. On android.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[Jane Q. Public]

I'm afraid you're missing the fact that when Google, does apps for iOS, they need to stay within the app review guidelines,
...
You claim there is no difference, but that's a big one.

I didn't miss anything, and no there isn't.

Apple guidelines do not require apps to NOT phone home... in fact there was a big flap about that just recently... iOS apps tracking people in ways that they did not approve.

Android app guidelines are actually stricter than Apple's. You have to explicitly consent to EVERY phone service that is accessed by an app: not just location but accelerometers, compass, notifications, wifi, phone data, etc.

IN BOTH CASES you have to explicitly approve of Google Maps using your location data in order to use Google Maps. There is no practical difference.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[BasilBrush]

Apple guidelines do not require apps to NOT phone home... in fact there was a big flap about that just recently... iOS apps tracking people in ways that they did not approve.

Wrong.

"4.1 Apps that do not notify and obtain user consent before collecting, transmitting, or using location data will be rejected"

Android app guidelines are actually stricter than Apple's. You have to explicitly consent to EVERY phone service that is accessed by an app: not just location but accelerometers, compass, notifications, wifi, phone data, etc.

a) It's a poorer system. It's pre-approval, on mass, which means the user doesn't know why an app needs access to resources before approving them. iOS seeks approval at the time of requiring the resource, enabling the user to know what the resource is needed for.

b) There is no such limitation on Google on Android, because Google don't have to do it from within an app, and therefore not within a sandbox.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[BasilBrush]

Because lots of Apple apps, guidelines or no, have been caught "phoning home" info that people certainly did not want known.

On Android, (A) you have to explicitly approve all such services that an app can access on your phone, in advance, and (B) unlike iOS, there are no "no competition" rules for Android apps. If you can find a better (or better for YOU) app than stock Android apps, just use it and stop using the stock Android app. Try that on Apple. You can't.

You're confusoing two different things. App sandbox (on Android) with App Store Approvals (on iOS).

The problem is that iOS also has a sandbox, which you ignore. And you also ignore the fact that Android has no app approvals process.

Again the big picture is that third party developers can do a lot more than users don't want on Android then on iOS. And Google can do ANYTHING on Android, but they can't on iOS.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[maccodemonkey]

Google search has been added to Waze, and Waze alerts are now showing on Google Maps. That's it.

If Waze ever starts "calling home" to Google, I'll stop using it. It's that simple.

The Waze servers already belong to Google. It's already calling home. And the call is coming from inside the house.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[noh8rz10]

i'm terminating this conversation, because you are being deliberately obtuse.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[ArbitraryName]

Apple doesn't serve targeted ads,

Really? What am I opting out of then?

and it doesn't have a financial interest in the content of my emails

No, just a paternalistic one. Who knows what phrases will send your emails silently into the void. I'll pass on an email service that doesn't deliver 100% of email received to the intended recipient (into a spam folder is acceptable).

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[recoiledsnake]

Citation needed.
Microsoft doesn't use the text of the email, they use the subject.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[ceoyoyo]

So what you're saying is that on Android if I pop open the default maps app and ask it where I am, it pops up a dialog asking if it can use the GPS. I say yes, it tells me where I am, and then it tracks me.

Alternately, on iOS I open the default maps app and ask it where I am, it pops up a dialog asking if it can use the GPS (yes it does). I say yes, it tells me where I am, and then it doesn't track me.

For third party apps, if one DOES track me on Android no problem. If one tracks me on iOS and gets caught, scandal.

Hm... tough choice that.

Re:surprised, yet not surprised.

[gnasher719]

Listen up: recent scandals have demonstrated that Apple's "sandbox" DOESN'T WORK for things like this, as Chalie Miller [cnet.com] and a lot of others [informationweek.com] found out.

They "don't work" in the way that seat belts and airbags "don't work" by not preventing all traffic deaths. Charlie Miller was thrown out of the developer program, so apparently that bit worked anyway.

And developers who unlike marketers often sympathise with the customer, have remarked that Apple's store review has one gigantic advantage: When your marketing departments demands functionality that is hurting the customer, the developers can just point to Apple's review guidelines and tell the marketer that this functionality will keep the app out of the app store.

Duplicate

[jklovanc]

Google Is Testing a Program That Tracks Your Purchases In the Real World

Thank god it's Google

[clarkkent09]

Since they said they "do no evil" we can all trust them completely. If it was another company I'd be worried.

Re:Thank god it's Google

[93 Escort Wagon]

I seem to remember that the "Do no evil" thing was coined by Marissa Meyer.

She's also the one who said there'd never, ever be ads on the Google.com main page - which is now happening.

I'm not a huge fan of hers, but it is interesting to note that some of these philosophical changes at Google coincided with her apparently being expelled from the inner circle at the company.

Re:you can turn off tracking

[noh8rz10]

and google obliges!!

why would you think that they may any attention to your privacy settings? have you hired a team of lawyers to review their TOCs? they ignored my safari privacy settings.

Will they honor

[bobstreo]

The do not track header?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track

And Airplane mode is your friend in a store apparently.

Re:I wonder

[Nerdfest]

Then you're fine. Don't let the FUD bother you.

Be that as it may...

[Anonymous Coward]

...there is more money to be made in tracking people than there is in selling phones to people who don't want to be tracked, so expect all industry players to continue moving in this direction.