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Uber Wants To Track Your Location Even When You're Not Using the App, Here's Why (businessinsider.com)
With the most recent update to Uber's ride-hailing app, the company has begun requesting users if they are willing to share their location data with Uber app even while the app is not in use. The company says it plans to use the data gained to improve user experience -- including offering improved pick-up times and locations. From an article on Business Insider: In August the company moved away from using Google Maps for its service and began using its own mapping technology. Google's lack of accuracy in many non-Western countries led to increased friction between consumers and drivers. This means the company needs to boost the amount of location data it has. Location data could also be used to provide new channels of revenue for the digital platform. This could include serving ads of local businesses or recommending nearby places of interest to users. Mobile marketing, which relies on accurate location data is a rapidly growing industry and could serve as a revenue windfall for Uber in the years ahead as it faces increasing competition. In fact, revenue from location-targeted mobile ads is expected to grow at an annualized rate of almost 34% between 2014 and 2019, surpassing $18 billion, according to a forecast from BIA/Kelsey.
What could possibly go wrong?
into an swarming army of speculative stalkers.. sounds fun.
Because I'm tacky!
The sole reason I charge my mobile and pay my data plan is so that companies can use me to improve their business plans and profitability while providing me with zero compensation. Let me know if I can do something else to help!
Raymond Chen has a recurring theme on his Old New Thing blog of "What if applications other than yours did this?" What would battery life or capped data plans look like if every application felt a need to send location telemetry home all the time?
Pining for the days when The Glorious MEEPT!!! graced SlapDash with his wisdom.
I miss the surge indicator and the "txt me back when the surge is gone" feature. I understand the drunks and the morons don't understand the meaning of 1.9x, 10x, etc. but I think it should be an option the way this is presented.
I haven't used Lyft yet but I'm thinking about it now that Uber has lost its "magic" the edge is gone. Plus having UberPool as the default and no way to remove it is damn stupid.
I don't even keep location services turned on except when I need to use my phone as a GPS, never mind allow any apps to access it.
Why the hell would I want to share my location with Uber? Oh, right - "Location data could also be used to provide new channels of revenue for the digital platform. This could include serving ads of local businesses". Yeah, kindly fuck right off, Uber.
If you pay me for my data. Otherwise fuad.
Ah well, if it for the user experience, FUCK YOU, still.
That totally makes sense and I understand completely.
So: how much are you offering to pay me, since you want this database for yourself instead of, say, sharing it with openstreetmap or something like that?
Isn't that going to be a bit of a battery drain issue? In order to do that, its going to have to constantly be running something in the background checking your GPS.
That being said, Google is already doing this on Android. I know this because I'm constantly getting maps notifications of how long it will take to drive to home/work, unasked. Still, I think it only does that twice a day, and this uber thing seems completely open-ended.
Location always on: Check
next
Microphone always on: Check
Then
Camera always on: Check
Oh
We also need access to all your texts and email
All to better serve you. and sell your info to the highest bidder
"...The company says it plans to use the data gained to improve user experience..."
Oh, enough with the bullshit.
You want this additional telemetry data because you're going to sell it.
You want this additional telemetry data because you're going to sell it.
You want this additional telemetry data because you're going to sell it.
Revenue and Profit are the king and queen of business, so drop the lame-ass excuses for gathering more data already. Shit gets old.
How is knowing my location BEFORE I request a ride going to improve pickup times? Are they just going to have a driver follow me around all the time? This sounds like just a grab for more data and data seems to be the new currency.
Wasn't it a "I'm at Point A and am going to Point B, let me pick up a person going my way who wants to share a lift and maybe offset my gas a bit?" So why are people all of sudden expecting this to be a job?
So they going to start telling drivers where and when to hang out to pick up fares.
How is this not a Taxi service?/p.
With all due respect, Fuck YoUber!
This space unintentionally left blank.
how were you expecting to pay?
At the end of the ride.
When I get a cab I pay with my card at the end of the ride and the card stays in my possession.
Uber wants to hold onto your card just in case. Maybe they'll decide you need to pay some 'extra' charges after your ride, maybe the driver puts in a claim that you soiled the car or something. Fuck that.
You miss the point of Uber (and Lyft and other ride sharing services). The point being you don't have to have your wallet or cards w/ you. Let's say you're taking a walk and decide to visit a friend, something for which you need not have your wallet w/ you. So you reach for your phone, call Uber, get taken to her place, get dropped and don't think about it, once the driver ends the ride. As an added advantage, you don't have to haggle, and can decide whether to tip or not (in case of Lyft - I doubt that Uber has tips).
In an episode of CBS Elementary a fictional Uber like company called Zooss had non creepy system called Olympus that let them see every Uber/Zooss users location at all times.
"Trust us with your data, because like when were we known to flagrantly violate your laws."
Bye!
Step 1. Install Uber app.
Step 2 Summon Uber
Step 3 Delete Uber app.
Step 4 Lather rinse repeat
No credit card info given to Uber.
This is the same company that threatened to shame journalist with their late-night whereabouts if they wrote unflattering reviews, right? I see no reason not to allow them even more access to your data.
At the moment I'm stuck with an old Android phone. Thus, no Whatsapp, no Facebook, no $LATEST_FAD_APP, no Uber app. (I am however able to get some apps from alternative app stores like F.droid.) I can obviously use web apps no problem. Google told me that the mobile site of Uber could be used if no app available, but they need to activate your account for it, which didn't happen: Uber support basically told me: upgrade your phone. Not happening.
In the mean time, the time for my hospital procedure which involved anesthetics (so no driving myself to and from the hospital) came and went, and that's one of the benefits of having a real life circle of friends: some can chip in and help you with a ride for not much more than a "thank you".
I guess I'll continue to drive myself, ride bicycle, bum rides, get courtesy lifts or loan vehicles from the workshop, rent a car, etc. as in the previous decades of my life.
Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
"... And it's gone."
-- My Sig is a P228.