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March, 2024

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Facebook is logging my gps locations

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kingsskier
Posts: 6212 - Karma: 2,101
Got on Facebook and they have a new thing suggesting I rate things. They are all very specific places that I have been. I thought, maybe they are places I uploaded photos. Nope. Maybe places I just took photos. Nope. Recent places. Nope.
I have an iPhone 5s (meaning it's not possible to be over a year old yet). They are suggesting specific restaurants that I have been to on vacations years ago. I never use the check in feature and I rarely post to my Facebook account as it is.
I know Facebook it notoriously bad for infringing on privacy, but logging my gps locations on all of my different phones is crazy. I even switched carriers this year.
Jun 18 2014 1:04AM
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JAHBRADOR
Posts: 3002 - Karma: 16,941
Most apps will get your gps location. Just hit "don't allow" when it asks if you want to turn location settings or not.
Jun 18 2014 1:06AM
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kingsskier
Posts: 6212 - Karma: 2,101
JAHBRADORMost apps will get your gps location. Just hit "don't allow" when it asks if you want to turn location settings or not.


I have location off for everything except my actual gps map. I never use public wifi unless I know it's secure, and I have changed all of my settings on Facebook to the most private they can be. I have always done this. I hate how connected and intrusive everything is becoming
Jun 18 2014 1:09AM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
If not for privacy, turn off Location Services for Facebook on your phone to save your battery. Every time you open the app it is searching for GPS satellites, which is a complete waste since you can always manually enter your location if you wish to share it. GPS will quickly drain your phone battery when activated unnecessarily.
Jun 18 2014 1:10AM
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kingsskier
Posts: 6212 - Karma: 2,101
Plus a few things came up from 5 years ago. Even if I had location services on at that point, it doesn't excuse them from logging my shit.
Jun 18 2014 1:11AM
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JAHBRADOR
Posts: 3002 - Karma: 16,941
facebook is kinda fucked. I will be looking at random shit on instagram, then ill start getting ads on facebook of the same type of random stuff.

ALIENS
Jun 18 2014 1:12AM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
kingsskierI have location off for everything except my actual gps map. I never use public wifi unless I know it's secure, and I have changed all of my settings on Facebook to the most private they can be. I have always done this. I hate how connected and intrusive everything is becoming


It's not using a GPS fix to do it then. It isn't accurate enough to pick out a specific location anyways (especially indoors), this isn't a survey grade device we're talking about here, it's a cell phone. Probably picking out keywords from your status updates (wouldn't necessarily need to be shared as a "location").
Jun 18 2014 1:13AM
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Rusticles
Posts: 2178 - Karma: 1,333
kingsskierI have location off for everything except my actual gps map. I never use public wifi unless I know it's secure, and I have changed all of my settings on Facebook to the most private they can be. I have always done this. I hate how connected and intrusive everything is becoming


Why do you hate it? Have you done something that you should be worried about? I know it's annoying to think that someone could be tracking your every move, but if you're not doing anything wrong than what's the problem?
Jun 18 2014 1:14AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51258 - Karma: 157,327
Facebook sucks in general.

I couldn't believe so many people are still making accounts on there. I've been on there since 05 so I kind of just said fuck it when things kept getting sketchier. Idk why anybody would make an account on there these days with everything.
Jun 18 2014 1:15AM
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kingsskier
Posts: 6212 - Karma: 2,101
RusticlesWhy do you hate it? Have you done something that you should be worried about? I know it's annoying to think that someone could be tracking your every move, but if you're not doing anything wrong than what's the problem?


I haven't done anything that I would be worried about. But, if people have access to this info it could hinder things. Such as future employers may not like me going out to bars a lot. If ad companies have access to it, snoopy background check people can too.
Plus, private life should stay private. No matter the situation.
Jun 18 2014 1:17AM
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kingsskier
Posts: 6212 - Karma: 2,101
caucasian_chadIt's not using a GPS fix to do it then. It isn't accurate enough to pick out a specific location anyways (especially indoors), this isn't a survey grade device we're talking about here, it's a cell phone. Probably picking out keywords from your status updates (wouldn't necessarily need to be shared as a "location").


Gps can get within a couple meters outside of a city. Close enough to pinpoint a building. I never post about anything except sports (the things showing up are restaurants and vacation things like jetski rentals and fishing trips). Nothing that I ever post about
Jun 18 2014 1:19AM
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acualywasdolan
Posts: 1172 - Karma: -747
fb is a bunch of raging douchbags. Not everybody, but most
Jun 18 2014 1:19AM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
kingsskierGps can get within a couple meters outside of a city. Close enough to pinpoint a building. I never post about anything except sports (the things showing up are restaurants and vacation things like jetski rentals and fishing trips). Nothing that I ever post about


Maybe if you are outdoors with no obstructions I'll buy that. Even a stand of trees can reduce the accuracy of a $25,000 survey GPS to 2m though, so I highly doubt you ever achieve 2m accuracy with an phone.

Here's how an iphone GPS tracks in the city. Pretty decent when outside on the streets, but everything goes to hell as soon as you step inside.
http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-15/1922
Jun 18 2014 1:47AM
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kingsskier
Posts: 6212 - Karma: 2,101
caucasian_chadMaybe if you are outdoors with no obstructions I'll buy that. Even a stand of trees can reduce the accuracy of a $25,000 survey GPS to 2m though, so I highly doubt you ever achieve 2m accuracy with an phone.

Here's how an iphone GPS tracks in the city. Pretty decent when outside on the streets, but everything goes to hell as soon as you step inside.
http://regex.info/blog/2012-01-15/1922


Cell phones use a four satellite "triangulation" so they are insanely accurate, plus they go by where you possibly could be vs not plausible. Software uses intelligence and can figure it out. That's why your google maps can follow your car within a few meters when you're turning onto streets with others nearby. The towers also send out pings which can give a rough guess as to when and where you are with the help of gps.
Jun 18 2014 2:32AM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
They will always be able to track your general location. Your cell phone signal goes back to a tower and then the signal is ran through an internet carrier. They only portion that is wireless is from your phone, to the cell tower. So, even with services off, they can track what area you're in.
Jun 18 2014 5:56AM
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gerbear
Posts: 435 - Karma: 396
Facebook is fucked. I got off that shit about a year ago now and it's the best thing I've ever done.
Jun 18 2014 8:13AM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,304
RusticlesWhy do you hate it? Have you done something that you should be worried about? I know it's annoying to think that someone could be tracking your every move, but if you're not doing anything wrong than what's the problem?


Wow. If you don't have a problem with someone tracking your every move you are fucking insane...it has nothing to do with whether or not you are doing anything wrong

fuck facebook and all that garbage...I dont even have a smart phone

I'm in the ron swanson camp when it comes to this crap, give me my privacy.

http://youtu.be/ZP7ebyqBn_M
Jun 18 2014 9:17AM
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gRAPEFRUIT
Posts: 380 - Karma: 272
theabortionatorFacebook sucks in general.

I couldn't believe so many people are still making accounts on there. I've been on there since 05 so I kind of just said fuck it when things kept getting sketchier. Idk why anybody would make an account on there these days with everything.


If your fedora doesn't get all the chicks, saying you're not interested in Facebook must bag the rest of them.

You're so cool.
Jun 18 2014 9:59AM
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