No. Cell tower data locations are stored in another file. The data stored in consolidated.db is my location with a maximum granularity of 100 meters at a given time. For the entire time I've owned any iPhone.
It makes no difference at all why someone would want to access my private information. The relevant point is the information is private, not public.
Lost in the discussion is that, knowingly or not, you've likely agreed to location tracking as a condition of using your smartphone.
Certainly many of the services require an opt-in as a condition of using the application. App's that offer to locate your "lost phone" at little or no charge aren't doing that from the goodness of their heart. They're harvesting location info you agreed to share with them.Using iTunes requires you accept location-sharing. There's dozens of apps I've seen with either wi-fi or gps location tracking listed as a permission granted, even with no obvious need for the app to do so.
You may not like your movements to be logged, gathered, or shared, but you've probably agreed to it. I know most of the EULA's are way too long with lots of legal jargon, but it's probably worth the time to read them before agreeing if your personal privacy is a primary concern.
The way I see it, is it could save your ass since it records latitude and longitude along with time stamp, if someone ever accuses you of wrong doing and you was not there.
The customers seek refunds for their purchases, because they said they would not have bought Apple's products if they had known of the location tracking.
I'm calling their bluff. Firstly, I'll bet they never even attempted to return their iDevices to Apple for a refund. Secondly I'll also wager that even if offered a refund they wouldn't accept it if it meant they had to actually hand their devices back in.
These guys must have been in a race to see who could file first. Two New Yorkers (I highly doubt that Vikram Ajjamper is from Florida) vacationing in Tampa couldn't wait to get home in order to file as they might miss the window of opportunity. I say who cares unless you worried about being tracked for something illegal. Being from New York, maybe they have a point.
Ain't it the truth though!
?although, i'm not sure Floridians (at least around Miami) are any more honest and law-abiding than New Yorkers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
You are holding it wrong. If you hold your finger across the antenna gap on the bottom left corner, the phone will not log or even detect the cell tower.
Yeah, but that's an undocumented feature.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eacumm
The way I see it, is it could save your ass since it records latitude and longitude along with time stamp, if someone ever accuses you of wrong doing and you was not there.
Or give you a false alibi if you lend it to a friend while you go off and commit a crime.
This data would be so easily gamed that i doubt you could use it to defend yourself in a court of law.
Once they fix this I am suing because location data is not cached properly and my lookups are draining my battery and going slowly.
That's made me smile.
For me this has highlighted the ridiculous state of the legal system all over the place. Tawlison's comment that just because you haven't read the EULA not making you exempt from it is right, but at the same time, something is wrong when EULA's have got to the length they are for absolutely everything.
The system is broken when companies are so scared of consumers that they have to write such a ridiculous degree of legal crap.
anonymouse, I agree with everything you said about Google and I personally wouldn't touch one of their phones if they paid me to use it. And yes, I think Google should be included in these investigations.
But that doesn't explain why Apple is recording this data.
Android has a location database. Most cellphones have one. See celebrite.com for information on how their product can read the information on Any cell phone.
No. Cell tower data locations are stored in another file. The data stored in consolidated.db is my location with a maximum granularity of 100 meters at a given time. For the entire time I've owned any iPhone.
cell tower data are stored in another file? did you find it just now? please share with us. it would be another discovery.
Quote:
It makes no difference at all why someone would want to access my private information. The relevant point is the information is private, not public.
i don't want to get into another debate about what is public vs private.
Everyone does realize the the data can only legally be used in court to identify where your phone/iPad was..... It could Not be used to identify where you were at the time.....
GPS location data is not transmitted unless a call is placed, and the default setting is only on 911 calls although it can be user enabled for all calls. That was required by the FCC some years back. The wireless providers in general only have access to triangulation, or, in some cases, bearing data.
I appreciate your thoughtful reply. Triangulation and vectoring is still a pretty good fix on position. I know that data is stored for a period of time (forever?) as well.
GPS as you noted, is present on all modern phones. It is required for 911. It remains unclear how tight the discipline beyond that truly is on GPS. This headline strikes me as quaint. But I recognize Apple's GPS data might be more vulnerable than it should be to snoops.
Wow that video was long.... Sorry if this question was raised already, I didn't see it...Does anyone know, if Location Services are turned OFF, is location services still stored? Encryption should have been there, it's true... But if Location Services are off, I would certainly expect my movement to NOT be tracked...
Curious to hear opinions on people who know how the data is stored, please save subjective opinions on Apple VS Google, Etc.
Maybe I missed it but has there been a lawsuit involving the fact that my browser keeps a history of sites visited and freely gives away information to websites and tracking ads etc.
and the grocery stores for keeping a history of products i buy so they give me free gas and such.
and the airlines have no right to now in advance where I am going to travel to - talk about tracking your location - they start doing it weeks before you even get on board the plane.
Gee I read on the internet that the Apple corporation is tracking my every move - better sue them before someone uses that data - for what - hmmm, oh yeah I got one - so they can know when you are not at home and they can break in an burgle the place.
Wow that video was long.... Sorry if this question was raised already, I didn't see it...Does anyone know, if Location Services are turned OFF, is location services still stored? Encryption should have been there, it's true... But if Location Services are off, I would certainly expect my movement to NOT be tracked...
Curious to hear opinions on people who know how the data is stored, please save subjective opinions on Apple VS Google, Etc.
Thanks!
Larry
Your assumption is correct. If you turn off Location Services, you are opting out and it is not recorded.
In the worst scenario it save the location the phone was at certain time. Not what the user was doing.
Lawsuits in USA are becoming ridiculous. Lot of people eager to grab a bit of Apple's cash. Maybe for regular people is an issue but for enterprise could be handy lol, like have a GPS watch dog.
or even if the phone was in the person's possession at the time - ever hear of anyone losing or having their phone stolen.
much like someone stealing your car and causing a hit and run caught by a security camera - the video only proves that a car matching the description of your car with your license plate number was involved not who was driving etc.
hasn't anyone seen TV shows or movies where phones - or cars - or guns etc are switched either intentionally or accidentally.
now when we get to the point where phones and such are taking biometric readings at intervals as well then maybe we will have a case where they could be used as prime evidence - until then it is circumstantial - in fact - now that the word is out - I would not be surprised if someone comes up with a way to spoof the file so that it shows you were places you've never been - or time shifts location data so that it shows you were not where you where when you were there.
Looks like it's easier to track Vikram Ajjampur using Google. He might consider restricting his Facebook account so everyone can't see his friends and everything.
Maybe I missed it but has there been a lawsuit involving the fact that my browser keeps a history of sites visited and freely gives away information to websites and tracking ads etc.
Only if you let it do so.
In case you did not know, most good browsers give you the option.
Comments
No. Cell tower data locations are stored in another file. The data stored in consolidated.db is my location with a maximum granularity of 100 meters at a given time. For the entire time I've owned any iPhone.
It makes no difference at all why someone would want to access my private information. The relevant point is the information is private, not public.
Lost in the discussion is that, knowingly or not, you've likely agreed to location tracking as a condition of using your smartphone.
http://www.bgr.com/2011/04/20/your-s...d-it-was-okay/
Certainly many of the services require an opt-in as a condition of using the application. App's that offer to locate your "lost phone" at little or no charge aren't doing that from the goodness of their heart. They're harvesting location info you agreed to share with them.Using iTunes requires you accept location-sharing. There's dozens of apps I've seen with either wi-fi or gps location tracking listed as a permission granted, even with no obvious need for the app to do so.
You may not like your movements to be logged, gathered, or shared, but you've probably agreed to it. I know most of the EULA's are way too long with lots of legal jargon, but it's probably worth the time to read them before agreeing if your personal privacy is a primary concern.
The way I see it, is it could save your ass since it records latitude and longitude along with time stamp, if someone ever accuses you of wrong doing and you was not there.
The glass IS half full!
The customers seek refunds for their purchases, because they said they would not have bought Apple's products if they had known of the location tracking.
I'm calling their bluff. Firstly, I'll bet they never even attempted to return their iDevices to Apple for a refund. Secondly I'll also wager that even if offered a refund they wouldn't accept it if it meant they had to actually hand their devices back in.
These guys must have been in a race to see who could file first. Two New Yorkers (I highly doubt that Vikram Ajjamper is from Florida) vacationing in Tampa couldn't wait to get home in order to file as they might miss the window of opportunity. I say who cares unless you worried about being tracked for something illegal. Being from New York, maybe they have a point.
?although, i'm not sure Floridians (at least around Miami) are any more honest and law-abiding than New Yorkers.
You are holding it wrong. If you hold your finger across the antenna gap on the bottom left corner, the phone will not log or even detect the cell tower.
The way I see it, is it could save your ass since it records latitude and longitude along with time stamp, if someone ever accuses you of wrong doing and you was not there.
Or give you a false alibi if you lend it to a friend while you go off and commit a crime.
This data would be so easily gamed that i doubt you could use it to defend yourself in a court of law.
Once they fix this I am suing because location data is not cached properly and my lookups are draining my battery and going slowly.
That's made me smile.
For me this has highlighted the ridiculous state of the legal system all over the place. Tawlison's comment that just because you haven't read the EULA not making you exempt from it is right, but at the same time, something is wrong when EULA's have got to the length they are for absolutely everything.
The system is broken when companies are so scared of consumers that they have to write such a ridiculous degree of legal crap.
anonymouse, I agree with everything you said about Google and I personally wouldn't touch one of their phones if they paid me to use it. And yes, I think Google should be included in these investigations.
But that doesn't explain why Apple is recording this data.
Android has a location database. Most cellphones have one. See celebrite.com for information on how their product can read the information on Any cell phone.
No. Cell tower data locations are stored in another file. The data stored in consolidated.db is my location with a maximum granularity of 100 meters at a given time. For the entire time I've owned any iPhone.
cell tower data are stored in another file? did you find it just now? please share with us. it would be another discovery.
It makes no difference at all why someone would want to access my private information. The relevant point is the information is private, not public.
i don't want to get into another debate about what is public vs private.
Infowars.com? Puh-leeze.....
GPS location data is not transmitted unless a call is placed, and the default setting is only on 911 calls although it can be user enabled for all calls. That was required by the FCC some years back. The wireless providers in general only have access to triangulation, or, in some cases, bearing data.
I appreciate your thoughtful reply. Triangulation and vectoring is still a pretty good fix on position. I know that data is stored for a period of time (forever?) as well.
GPS as you noted, is present on all modern phones. It is required for 911. It remains unclear how tight the discipline beyond that truly is on GPS. This headline strikes me as quaint. But I recognize Apple's GPS data might be more vulnerable than it should be to snoops.
Curious to hear opinions on people who know how the data is stored, please save subjective opinions on Apple VS Google, Etc.
Thanks!
Larry
and the grocery stores for keeping a history of products i buy so they give me free gas and such.
and the airlines have no right to now in advance where I am going to travel to - talk about tracking your location - they start doing it weeks before you even get on board the plane.
Gee I read on the internet that the Apple corporation is tracking my every move - better sue them before someone uses that data - for what - hmmm, oh yeah I got one - so they can know when you are not at home and they can break in an burgle the place.
Wow that video was long.... Sorry if this question was raised already, I didn't see it...Does anyone know, if Location Services are turned OFF, is location services still stored? Encryption should have been there, it's true... But if Location Services are off, I would certainly expect my movement to NOT be tracked...
Curious to hear opinions on people who know how the data is stored, please save subjective opinions on Apple VS Google, Etc.
Thanks!
Larry
Your assumption is correct. If you turn off Location Services, you are opting out and it is not recorded.
In the worst scenario it save the location the phone was at certain time. Not what the user was doing.
Lawsuits in USA are becoming ridiculous. Lot of people eager to grab a bit of Apple's cash. Maybe for regular people is an issue but for enterprise could be handy lol, like have a GPS watch dog.
or even if the phone was in the person's possession at the time - ever hear of anyone losing or having their phone stolen.
much like someone stealing your car and causing a hit and run caught by a security camera - the video only proves that a car matching the description of your car with your license plate number was involved not who was driving etc.
hasn't anyone seen TV shows or movies where phones - or cars - or guns etc are switched either intentionally or accidentally.
now when we get to the point where phones and such are taking biometric readings at intervals as well then maybe we will have a case where they could be used as prime evidence - until then it is circumstantial - in fact - now that the word is out - I would not be surprised if someone comes up with a way to spoof the file so that it shows you were places you've never been - or time shifts location data so that it shows you were not where you where when you were there.
Maybe I missed it but has there been a lawsuit involving the fact that my browser keeps a history of sites visited and freely gives away information to websites and tracking ads etc.
Only if you let it do so.
In case you did not know, most good browsers give you the option.