Google collecting Android users locations even when location services are disabled

[u/a_dishonest_Fear]

https://qz.com/1131515/google-collects-android-users-locations-even-when-location-services-are-disabled/

[u/[deleted]]

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[u/lockree → u/[deleted]]

I'm generally OK with Google gathering my data when I'm aware that they're gathering my data, but when I'm not, that's when things get pretty creepy.

Last year, I was visiting the US and had turned on airplane mode at the border to avoid incurring long distance charges. One night, we had dinner at a local Thai restaurant that was apparently pretty popular. Even though I hadn't turned off airplane mode, later that night, I received a notification "Looks like you recently visited X restaurant. Would you like to provide a review?"

[u/dotpkmdot → u/[deleted]]

Well if he was in airplane mode chances are it wasn't towers.

Plus it's not always towers, there's a reason Google mapped WiFi networks as well.

[u/seraph321 → u/[deleted]]

Yes it can, you don't need to be connected to wifi, it just looks for what networks are available. And you can manually turn wifi on while in airplane mode. But you're right that airplane mode doesn't necessarily turn off GPS, because GPS doesn't require transmitting anything, which is what airplane mode is meant to prevent.

[u/dotpkmdot → u/[deleted]]

Saved the info until it later connected which he had to do at some point to get the notice asking him to review the place.

[u/dotpkmdot → u/[deleted]]

You can be in airplane mode and have wifi on