So google knows my location at any moment?

Discussion in 'Pandora's Box' started by Ganglajanger, Mar 24, 2015.

  1. #1 Ganglajanger, Mar 24, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 24, 2015
    I just googled something and I realized that it shows the location closest to me on maps. And it changes when I change locations. 
     
    If I am to look up Mc Donald's, it shows one in the town I am in. If I take a trip out of state and I google Mc Donald's it shows the closest one to the town have taken a trip to and I don't even enter a location. 
     
    It just seems weird that they keep track of so much data now. What if they get hacked, who knows what other meta data they have?

     
  2. #2 Ganglajanger, Mar 24, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 24, 2015
    I wonder if they collect porn meta data from EVERYONE
     
  3. #3 *guest, Mar 24, 2015
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2015
    I've never had Google track my location without knowingly allowing it... 
     
    Google Maps defaults to the nearest big city, I'm like 20 miles away from there. I've been asked whether to allow them to receive my location data and have denied it. I'm pretty sure my IP tracks to the nearest big city anyway. 
     
    I do have Google location history allowed on my Android phone, which is easy enough to turn off and delete the history if you don't want it. Granted I hardly ever have GPS turned on anyway so it's far from accurate. [​IMG]
     
  4.  
    But how do they know you are next to that big city though? I know they collect hella data, when I browse clearly my adds are related to what I look at. 
     
    Its just weird they collect data from you without really telling you about it. 
     
  5. #5 *guest, Mar 24, 2015
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2015
     
     
    IP address, I assume? 
     
    Every site you visit will have access to your IP which can give them a general location. Does Google put you in the same location as this site?
     
  6. #6 Ganglajanger, Mar 24, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 24, 2015
     
    haha yeah thats cool actually! Its crazy they can do that though, that makes sense and they have the hub city at my location. 
     
    Im guessing they are collecting all this data as well?
     
  7. Google knows everything.
     
  8. As somebody said, you may have it set to allow them to track your location, which you can change.  I personally let them do it, and keep it on, so I can use the GPS to guide me places.  Otherwise I have to go into the settings and turn it on before it recognizes my location.  But when you have it turned on it will automatically start giving you directions from exactly where you are. 
     
  9.  
    This is on my computer and I don't remember agree to anything. I am guessing that they just use the ip address, google is known for collecting mass amounts of meta data Germany wasn't too happy about it. 
     
  10. #10 AdmiralTugBenson, Mar 24, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 24, 2015
     
    Oh, if it's your regular computer/browser, then you just don't have auto-detect turned off under Search Tools probably.  
     
    "How location is auto-detected
     
    If you don't set your location, Google shows an approximate location based on the following things to help provide you with the most relevant results:
    • Your IP address.
    • Your Location History if you have it turned on. 
    • Google Toolbar's My Location feature if it's turned on.
    • Recent locations you've searched for."
     
  11. #11 *guest, Mar 24, 2015
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2015
     
    Are you talking about on your phone? 
     
    I keep my GPS off unless I'm on a road trip using Google Maps just because it eats my battery but someone posted a fun pic of all the places they'd traveled that day based on Google's location history, so I turned on my GPS (to high accuracy) for like 3 days straight. 
     
    Still inaccurate as fuck for me.
     
    Like I'm in Northern Oregon and somehow I'm at my house, and then 10 minutes later I'm at a lake in Southern Washington and then I'm back at my house and then I'm in the suburbs 10 miles away from the other spot in Washington. 
     
    It had me pegged at one particular house in Southern Washington several times. It was weird. 
     
    I even saw a post where someone was asking about whether their SO was cheating because Google's location history tracked their phone to some house however many miles away, and the top rated reply was about how Google will show a circle around the possible location and as long as he's in that circle it's totally understandable... I'm not even near that circle half the time [​IMG]
     
    I feel bad for anyone who has been accused of cheating because of shitty location data [​IMG]
     
  12.  
    Yeah I was talking about my phone.  I guess I thought that was what they were talking about since they said it changes locations when they move, but I guess they meant taking their laptop from one place to another or something.
     
    My GPS works perfectly on my phone.  It always seems to know exactly where I'm at, when used with Google Maps that is.  But I can turn it on and it knows exactly what street I'm on and guides me exactly where I have to go, telling me to change lanes, turn in 200 feet or whatever.  I'm not much of a techie but I like it and find it handy.  It was only this last November I bought my first smartphone, prior to that I just had some old dinosaur phone.  I didn't think I needed internet and all that shit.  I'm old.  I grew up with pagers and payphones.
     
  13.  
     
    Yeah mine works great when I'm using Google Maps on my phone, but is it super accurate when it comes to your Location History?
     
  14. #14 AdmiralTugBenson, Mar 24, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 24, 2015
     
    Yeah, seems to be just as accurate.  Shows I was at Albertsons earlier, and my parent's house (under the name of my dad's company for some reason), Jack In The Box, etc.
     
  15.  
     
    That is weird... are you Android or iOS? Wondering why mine is so inaccurate now :p 
     
  16.  
    Android.  I have a Moto G.
     
  17. Haha hackers are wasting their time with stealing credit card info, they really need to collect browser histories and start bribing people...how much would you pay to keep your history private?
     
  18. A lot. Or you can go Hillary style and go private
     
  19. linkability.
     

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