{"id":2067,"date":"2011-04-21T11:53:05","date_gmt":"2011-04-21T18:53:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jeffreyatw.com\/blog\/?p=2067"},"modified":"2011-04-21T11:53:05","modified_gmt":"2011-04-21T18:53:05","slug":"my-take-on-the-iphone-location-services-hubbub","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jeffreyatw.com\/blog\/2011\/04\/my-take-on-the-iphone-location-services-hubbub\/","title":{"rendered":"My take on the iPhone location services hubbub"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tech sites and developer blogs have been reacting to the recent release of iPhoneTracker<\/a>, a Mac OS X app that can easily plot where you’ve been, and when, since you started using your iPhone. While it might sound “scary” or “creepy” from the get-go, it’s not horrible – it carries roughly the same privacy concerns as leaving your laptop or phone unlocked and inadvertently allowing people to peruse your recent calls, emails, or other personal data.
\nSome Mac\/iOS developers on Twitter have been bemoaning the backlash from this not-so-new revelation – that the iPhone keeps track of every time you geolocate and stores it in a relatively easily-accessible database. I’ve heard arguments like, “this outrage is coming from a population that regularly checks themselves into Foursquare,” or “you’re at fault if you let this information get into the wrong hands.” I think these defensive statements are missing the point, and border on zeal toward Apple.
\nI need to reiterate my stance on this issue, lest I be grouped in with the down-with-Apple FUD<\/abbr> crowd (or with the non-Apple-shareholder crowd): I don’t think this is a very big deal. As it’s been stated over and over again, recently: cell phone companies track your location and record your calls all the time, so the DHS or FBI or whoever can come down hard on you if the need arises. A history of where you’ve been over time might even seem useful to some. But I still think that blame can be placed on whoever at Apple decided to retain this tracking data indefinitely, and do so in an easily-accessible database file.
\nThe reason Apple stores location data on your phone is so those who explicitly opt-in to provide “diagnostic” data to Apple can help improve their geolocation services. If Apple’s phones can tell them where Wi-Fi networks are physically located, then even devices without GPS technology can still be geolocated rather confidently. It’s a fascinating effort that I have opted to take part in, but I have two main concerns, which I have yet to hear good answers to:<\/p>\n