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posted by martyb on Monday February 11 2019, @09:53PM   Printer-friendly

Phys.org:

Sixty-seven percent of smartphone users rely on Google Maps to help them get to where they are going quickly and efficiently.
A major of[sic] feature of Google Maps is its ability to predict how long different navigation routes will take. That's possible because the mobile phone of each person using Google Maps sends data about its location and speed back to Google's servers, where it is analyzed to generate new data about traffic conditions.

Information like this is useful for navigation. But the exact same data that is used to predict traffic patterns can also be used to predict other kinds of information – information people might not be comfortable with revealing.

For example, data about a mobile phone's past location and movement patterns can be used to predict where a person lives, who their employer is, where they attend religious services and the age range of their children based on where they drop them off for school.

Perhaps we can carefully craft our data patterns to tell advertisers, "Take a hike!"


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  • (Score: 1) by anubi on Wednesday February 13 2019, @02:54AM (1 child)

    by anubi (2828) on Wednesday February 13 2019, @02:54AM (#800455) Journal

    I wonder when our cars will start issuing tickets to drivers for traffic infractions.

    Speeding, stop signs, erratic driving, relaying location to law enforcement if they are interested in getting a slice of the fine.

    Otherwise, the vehicle simply shuts down and calls the tow truck.

    Americans will buy it if marketing spins it right... Especially rich Americans who need to signal their obedience to marketers. You know. The same folk that buy $100 sunglasses.

    --
    "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday February 13 2019, @03:19AM

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Wednesday February 13 2019, @03:19AM (#800473)

    You know. The same folk that buy $100 sunglasses.

    Back in the late 70s, the folk who bought $100 sunglasses were the Burt Reynolds Bandit fans who could afford them.

    --
    🌻🌻 [google.com]