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posted by takyon on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:09AM   Printer-friendly
from the surveillance-device-caught-doing-surveillance dept.

Submitted via IRC for Bytram

Your iPhone Has A Hidden List of Every Location You've Been

Hiding in not-so-plain sight, deep within the depths of your iPhone's settings (seven layers deep, to be exact) is a level of location tracking that very few iPhone users are aware of and probably won't feel comfortable with.

Sure, many of us know that our iPhone generally tracks us when we use certain apps to enable it to share personalized information like the local weather, coffee shop recommendations, and more.

But in a quick survey I ran with some friends, not one person (out of dozens of people that I surveyed) knew where or how to navigate to this specific screen that I'm talking about here. It's called the Significant Locations list.

The Significant Locations list shows a minute-by-minute route history of my exact whereabouts in every location I've been over the past few years.


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  • (Score: 2) by aristarchus on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:20AM (6 children)

    by aristarchus (2645) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:20AM (#813142) Journal

    Now we know why jmorris never stops by anymore. Poor jmorris! We will pray for his soul, and his iPhone location, wherever that might be.

    • (Score: 3, Funny) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:42PM

      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:42PM (#813271) Journal

      I thought it was because he didn't understand the contracts he had agreed to by creating a user account.

      --
      People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
    • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Tuesday March 12 2019, @06:00PM (3 children)

      by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @06:00PM (#813393) Journal

      I was hoping he got hit by a large vehicle, or maybe contracted a fatal and embarrassing disease...

      --
      I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
      • (Score: 3, Funny) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @06:46PM (2 children)

        by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @06:46PM (#813411) Journal

        Surely you must mean 'contracted' as in a binding agreement where mutual consideration is exchanged.

        --
        People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
        • (Score: 3, Funny) by Azuma Hazuki on Wednesday March 13 2019, @02:04AM (1 child)

          by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Wednesday March 13 2019, @02:04AM (#813555) Journal

          My guess is he sold his soul for $SOMETHING and now ol' horns-and-pitchfork came to collect his due :D Contracts!

          --
          I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
          • (Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Wednesday March 13 2019, @02:52PM

            by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday March 13 2019, @02:52PM (#813740) Journal

            Sometimes people who have an anti-law bent and don't believe the laws of society apply to them, because of their "freedom" to not obey the law . . . they can end up on the wrong side of the law, and possibly not have internet access. It can happen.

            --
            People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by ilsa on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:19PM

      by ilsa (6082) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:19PM (#813476)

      Oh hey, your right! I had totally forgotten about him, but yeah, the discussions have been a lot less painfully ignorant lately.

  • (Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:36AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:36AM (#813147)

    ... it revealed locations when location services were turned off. Having never turned them on my device has left them more hidden than even this article says it is.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @04:42PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @04:42PM (#813345)

      Same here. I followed the path to "Significant Locations" and ended up with nothing.

  • (Score: 5, Touché) by NateMich on Tuesday March 12 2019, @10:15AM (1 child)

    by NateMich (6662) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @10:15AM (#813155)

    Only an iPhone user would call something "hidden" when it's right in the settings on the phone itself.
    For future reference, hidden is when you have to perform some unusual action in order to reveal the item.

    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @11:14AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @11:14AM (#813175)

      "an iPhone user would call something "hidden" when it's right in the settings on the phone itself."

      Apple already knows this. So when they want to 'hide' something they simply stick it in the settings. Most users won't notice it. But if someone complains that it's 'hidden' now they have plausible deniability and they can say 'but it's right in the settings'.

  • (Score: 2) by choose another one on Tuesday March 12 2019, @11:01AM (8 children)

    by choose another one (515) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @11:01AM (#813169)

    The Significant Locations list shows a minute-by-minute route history of my exact whereabouts in every location I've been over the past few years.

    my^H^H the exact whereabouts of the phone

    FTFY.

    Most recent "shout at the TV" pet peeve was with Hunted where the mor^H^H^H fugitives were smart enough to have burner phones but too stupid to move and dump phone after using it. If you don't want to be tracked:

    1. use burner phone
    2. dump burner phone (preferably in a moving vehicle or with another person, in case it's not bleeding obvious - do NOT stay with the vehicle or person)
    3. MOVE

    It really ain't that hard, but then nor is figuring out that your phone stores this stuff by default - it's not breaking news (see e.g. https://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-collects-locations-of-windows-phone-users/ [cnet.com] note that the article is talking about Win Phone 7 so the date ain't faked either).

    • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:20PM (7 children)

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:20PM (#813259) Journal

      We all know how to acquire a burner from Wally World or similar, for $40, $80, $100. How many of us pay $800 for a burner? Personally, I can just waste a hundred bucks, but I really think about just wasting $800.

      • (Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:45PM (6 children)

        by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:45PM (#813274) Homepage Journal

        If you got arrested, would you spend $800 to bail yourself out, to stay out of jail until your trial? I would. Burner Phone is like that. Except -- if you're a good Crook -- no arrest. And no trial. And, maybe it doesn't save you from the cops. Maybe it saves you from getting whacked by another Crook. Worth it?

        • (Score: 1, Flamebait) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:01PM (4 children)

          by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:01PM (#813288) Journal

          The point is, I can get a burner for as little as 1/16 the price of an Apple. If I plan to throw it away after a short time, why spend the $800? You know, even terrorists economize sometimes. Mahammed has his Apple, with which he calls home to his harem, regularly. He needs fifteen burners for his terrorist operation. Is he going to spend $800 apiece on his buddies, and cousins (some of whom are his half-brothers as well)? Hell no - he's going to get them cheap-ass feature phones, and keep his cellphone for himself.

          • (Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:23PM (3 children)

            by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:23PM (#813309) Homepage Journal

            Possibly you forgot San Bernardino. Or you never heard about that one. I will never forget. John McMahon, incredible guy. A little bit taller than I am. John worked with the local police chief to respond. Their brave officers chased down the terrorists and brought their sinister rampage to a rapid end. But, Tim/Apple wouldn't help our F.B.I., they wouldn't "unlock" that iPhone. Perfect for the Radical Islamic, or Islamist Terrorists. But horrible for our Country. I said, boycott Apple. And many folks did the boycott. Draining Apple's coffers very badly!!!

            • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:57PM (2 children)

              by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:57PM (#813323) Journal

              A: You didn't need Apple.
              B: You have no authority to force a private business to do your work for you.
              C: You can't expect a business to publicly destroy their own security, in full view of the public, to whom they are selling a "secure system".
              D: Tough noogies. You haven't made a case for backdoors into everything in the country.

              • (Score: 3, Funny) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:39PM

                by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:39PM (#813435)

                Just a quick tip: If your noogies are tough you might be overcooking them.

                Maybe take them out of the pan when they're just cooked through and leave them to rest for five minutes.

              • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:55PM

                by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:55PM (#813441)

                I love it when the dumbass christian supremacist shows how inferior he actually is by taking an obvious parody seriously.

        • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:55PM

          by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:55PM (#813442) Journal

          Except -- if you're a good Crook -- no arrest. And no trial. And, maybe it doesn't save you from the cops.

          If all else fails a really good crook can get a pardon. Even from himself if necessary.

          --
          People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @12:00PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @12:00PM (#813193)

    Or is that a GPS tracker in your pocket?

  • (Score: 3, Touché) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday March 12 2019, @12:15PM (10 children)

    I didn't even know I had an iPhone. Now if I can just find it, I can sell it and spend the moneys on fishing gear.

    --
    My rights don't end where your fear begins.
    • (Score: 3, Touché) by Thexalon on Tuesday March 12 2019, @12:55PM (9 children)

      by Thexalon (636) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @12:55PM (#813215)

      Don't worry: If you're using an out-of-the-box Android instead, then the location tracking information isn't on your phone, it's been uploaded to Google's servers.

      --
      The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
      • (Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday March 12 2019, @01:47PM (8 children)

        True. Anyone doing that is very nearly silly enough to buy an iPhone anyway though.

        --
        My rights don't end where your fear begins.
        • (Score: 3, Funny) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:45PM (7 children)

          by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:45PM (#813275) Journal

          The very reason I use Android instead of iPhone is so that I know I am safe from Apple knowing my location. I don't want to be spied on. So I use only Google products.

          --
          People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
          • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday March 12 2019, @05:39PM (6 children)

            by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @05:39PM (#813374)

            As long as you only use it on Good Patriotic Cell Networks who listen to the NSA's advice and don't use Huawei hardware, you are perfectly safe from spying, Citizen.

            By the way, you would be safer if you remembered to lock your kitchen's screen door, stop looking at this website, and backup your files to ourthe cloud. Thank you for your cooperation, Citizen. The Computer wants you to be happy. Are you happy ?

            • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @06:40PM (5 children)

              by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @06:40PM (#813409) Journal

              Google's Nexus 6P phone was made by Hauwei.

              --
              People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
              • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:23PM (4 children)

                by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:23PM (#813478) Journal

                How do you read a triple-u?

                --
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
                • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:38PM (3 children)

                  by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:38PM (#813484) Journal

                  Not sure I follow.

                  Just taking a guess at your question . . .

                  Hauwei is pronounced "Wah Way".

                  Hopefully that is helpful.
                  Helpfully that is hopeful.
                  Tech support is not always helpful.

                  --
                  People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
                  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday March 12 2019, @10:06PM (2 children)

                    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @10:06PM (#813493) Journal

                    Hauwei is pronounced "Wah Way".

                    For that pronunciation, you need to spell it the correct way: Huawei, with the a between the single u and the double one.

                    --
                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
                    • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday March 13 2019, @02:42PM

                      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday March 13 2019, @02:42PM (#813732) Journal

                      I copy/pasted the spelling from somewhere. Now I can't remember where. I think I googled it. I didn't expect that to fail me.

                      I don't have my Nexus 6P any more, at least not handy. If it took it out of the case it has the brand name clearly on the back.

                      Thanks for pointing it out.

                      --
                      People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
                    • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday March 13 2019, @04:10PM

                      by bob_super (1357) on Wednesday March 13 2019, @04:10PM (#813781)

                      Civilized people look at that letter and call it a double-v
                      /pedant_french

  • (Score: 1, Troll) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday March 12 2019, @01:12PM (4 children)

    by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @01:12PM (#813221) Homepage Journal

    Some people like to trick, or dupe the Editors. So they make a Sub of an old story. Sometimes with a new title. And this one was formerly known as "iPhone Always Tracks your Movements." I saw it while I was in Singapore last June. It was new, and interesting then. It's old news now. Certain stories get repeated. While others are never seen by the "people." But, congratulations to Bytrarn. You are now known as Con Artist Bytram. You fooled the Editors. You didn't fool us all. You'll never fool us all. And we will NEVER FORGIVE & NEVER FORGET!!!!

    • (Score: 2, Offtopic) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:49PM (3 children)

      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:49PM (#813277) Journal

      some people like to trick, or dupe the Editors. So they make a Sub of an old story.

      Some people like to trick, or dupe the Congress. So make a Sub of an old budget.

      You know how Melania likes to Plagiarize Michelle Obama, multiple times?

      Do the same! Plagiarize one of Obama's budgets and submit it to congress as your own budget. They are too dumb to notice.

      --
      People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
      • (Score: 2, Offtopic) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:14PM (2 children)

        by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:14PM (#813302) Homepage Journal

        What about Wall? Something Cheatin' O never got funded, never asked for funds for. And if he'd asked, Congress would have told him "no." Hell, they didn't even give him the money to close Guantanamo. Also known as Gitmo. Which was his biggest campaign promise. And in 8 years he got ZERO dollars for that one. And I don't think he wanted to keep that promise. He could have, very easily, done a Crowdstarter for that one. Bought some Keep Out, or No Trespassing signs. And bought the Radical Muslim Terrorists tickets back to Middle East. He didn't, I don't think he wanted to. And I'm so happy he didn't. We're getting great use out of Gitmo.

        Look, I need $25 billion for Wall (Barrier). We funded the initial down payment of $1.6 billion. Big thanks to Congress for that one, very successful negotiation. We're building right now -- very quickly, very inexpensively. But we must FINISH THE WALL. And for that, we need the rest of the money. We need another $23.4 billion. The Wall will pay for itself -- after it's built. But we need the money up front, to do the building. The construction. Lieing won't make it happen. Cheatin' O's phoney words won't make it happen. But don't worry, I'll make it happen. I can do it -- nobody else can!!!

        • (Score: 1, Offtopic) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:59PM (1 child)

          by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:59PM (#813443) Journal

          It's funny how the price of the wall keeps going up.

          Even as the wall itself is not ever going up. At least not until the SLS gets off the ground.

          --
          People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:24PM (9 children)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:24PM (#813264) Journal

    Just a quick, informal survey. How many of us here knows that Windows saves _every_single_website_visited_with_internet_explorer complete with time and date?

    • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:51PM (4 children)

      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @02:51PM (#813281) Journal

      Wait! So you're saying that on TV when someone looks at another's internet browser history to see what they've been doing . . .

      THAT IS REAL !!! ???

      Not just fiction for the story?

      --
      People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
      • (Score: 4, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:06PM (1 child)

        by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:06PM (#813294) Journal

        The guys on television probably can't turn the machine off and on, without help. The guys at the police station who hope to convict you of child pornography can access your browser history, with little effort. The hardest part of their job, is to filter through the results, to find what they want. This tool makes it brain-dead easy, so that you don't even need to understand how it's done. https://www.foxtonforensics.com/browser-history-viewer/ [foxtonforensics.com]

        • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:11PM

          by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @03:11PM (#813297) Journal

          Mmmmm. I submitted that link, because it had the information I was looking for. Looking at it now, I don't know how it's pronouned. "Fox ton forensics" or fuckstonforensics" or ???

      • (Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:17PM (1 child)

        by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:17PM (#813475) Homepage Journal

        I don't do Computer. But if I did, that would be an absolute LIFE SAVER. Because I'd never loose a website again. On behalf of the Computer folks, our happy Computer people -- thank you, Microsoft!

        • (Score: 2, Disagree) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:33PM

          by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:33PM (#813483) Journal

          Rather . . . NO THANKS to Microsoft.

          The success of computer technology is despite Microsoft, not because of it.

          --
          People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
    • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday March 12 2019, @05:42PM (3 children)

      by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @05:42PM (#813379)

      Internet explorer ? That's a crime in itself.

      • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:59PM (2 children)

        by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:59PM (#813444) Journal

        Which version of the crime are you thinking of? There are now so many to choose from.

        --
        People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
        • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday March 12 2019, @08:52PM (1 child)

          by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @08:52PM (#813462)

          Can't chose one. You have to taylor your response to each version.

          • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @08:56PM

            by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @08:56PM (#813464) Journal

            Oh, how true that is!

            IE: the bane of web developers everywhere.

            --
            People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:04PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:04PM (#813420)

    What kind of dumb bitch has an iphone?

    • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday March 12 2019, @08:56PM

      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday March 12 2019, @08:56PM (#813465) Journal

      Lots of them do.

      --
      People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
    • (Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:24PM

      by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @09:24PM (#813481) Homepage Journal

      I'll tell you, I was very happy with my Samsung. It served me beautifully for many years. But my N.S.A. guy said, "oh no, you must use iPhone, big problem for our Country if you use Korea phone!" So I'm on iPhone now. Mostly. I brought my Samsung when I met with Chairman Kim. To show him, look, I have something from Korea. From your amazing Korea culture. So I could get a great deal for America!

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