Selling location data collected by mobile phones has become a lucrative business, according to a report that noted location advertising sales are expected to reach $21 billion this year. At least 75 companies receive anonymous, precise location data from applications with the location services feature activated. Several of those outfits claim to track 200 million mobile devices in the United States — about half of all devices in the country. The data is very accurate, coming within a few yards of a person’s whereabouts at a point in time.
iOS Android, its all the same rubbish. Like most things, anything important we have only 1 or 2 options so they keep control. Now we have idiots loving the Apple Watch, thinking it can stop heart problems etc while at the same time its sending all info back to their servers about where you have been, where you are, your health etc.. How long until its the case of NO health care for you, no apple watch? No insurance for you, you cant come in here sorry, NO apple watch! Blind faith in the system and corporations got us to this point! Sense is not so common now days
Thank you for addressing this most important issue. I have found that the only way to defeat all of the applications that gather location information in an Android phone is to root it and then delete or defeat applications unavailable to the non-root user. Even then, as the author points out, it takes many hours to scour the apps and change settings as necessary. Such a level of engagement should not be necessary in order to restore one's privacy. I found it especially egregious in the case of IOS devices wherein Apple claims not to sell its customers. Selling your customers by proxy doesn't give you the moral high ground.
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Location Data Selling Threatens Consumer Privacy
Posted by: John P. Mello Jr. December 11, 2018 05:00 AMSelling location data collected by mobile phones has become a lucrative business, according to a report that noted location advertising sales are expected to reach $21 billion this year. At least 75 companies receive anonymous, precise location data from applications with the location services feature activated. Several of those outfits claim to track 200 million mobile devices in the United States — about half of all devices in the country. The data is very accurate, coming within a few yards of a person’s whereabouts at a point in time.