[aklug] Re: Google and Apple are gathering location information

From: <bryanm@acsalaska.net>
Date: Fri Apr 22 2011 - 03:55:32 AKDT

On Fri, April 22, 2011 2:12 am, Jim Gribbin wrote:
> On Thu, 2011-04-21 at 23:18 -0800, James A. Tweet wrote:
>> What do you guys think of this?
>>
>> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703983704576277101723453610.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection
>
> Jury's still out.
>
> According to one source anyway, the news services reporting this don't
> know what they're talking.
>
> Gee. You mean there's a possibility the "mainstream media" doesn't know
> their "you-know-what" from a hole in the ground?
>
> http://caffeine.shugendo.org/2011/04/21/iphones-and-location-lets-not-get-hysterical/

I think the most reliable statement in this blog post is:
"So, it’s entirely unclear to me what this data actually represents."

Anybody can make a blog post, and say anything they want. That should
never, ever be confused with actual journalism.

One simple explanation (among multitudes) is that the program used
to dump the data used incorrect parameters. Another possibility is
that Google and Apple have munged the data to slightly obscure it
from anyone who might stumble across it.

This blogger hasn't done any actual research, he just futzed around
a bit and posted what he found along with his unconsidered opinions.

The fact that corporations are tracking millions of people without
their knowledge should indeed set off alarm bells. Even if you trust
Google and Apple with that data (I, for one, don't), what if someone
else finds a way to access it -- say, a thief, stalker, violent ex,
or overzealous cop?

Companies like Google and Apple do not, and will never, have your
privacy as a priority. If they can make a buck by violating it, they
will do so in a microsecond. If you want privacy, you have to go out
of your way to defend it. Who else will?

--
Bryan Medsker
bryanm@acsalaska.net
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Received on Fri Apr 22 03:55:40 2011

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