It’s easy to say “yes” when an app or website requests your location data just to get past the popup and scroll again, but it’s worth keeping in mind who you’re sharing it with and why. More often than not, that’s more information than apps and websites actually need to know about you.
Like other types of personal information, companies present location data as trade-off: consumers voluntarily post where they are, often for a more convenient user experience; The companies, in turn, collect crucial information about customers and, in most cases, resell that data to third parties for additional profit. Those third parties, according to Cooper Quintin, a security researcher at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, can include data brokers and advertisers, as well as law enforcement officers, bounty hunters, journalists, and just about anyone else with the money to buy this information. It’s one of the reasons we feel like our devices are “hearing” us: They probably won’t hear you tell a friend that you’re really craving fast food, but they know there’s a McDonald’s nearby and they’ll serve it to you. an ad for their French fries.
Because there are currently no federal laws or regulations in place to fully protect consumer information, it is up to individual users to navigate how they want that information to be disseminated. As you install new apps, don’t blindly agree to share location data, even if you think you have nothing to hide. “It’s better to just not generate it in the first place,” Quintin said.
Is there ever a good reason to share this sensitive data with a company? A good rule of thumb is to avoid giving out location information unless the app requires it to function, according to Megan Iorio, senior counsel and amicus director at the Electronic Privacy Information Center. A mapping app may need it to give you real-time directions; Food delivery apps can probably get by with a simple address. Websites can request location permissions to enable convenience features like a weather service, but they will generate the same results from a ZIP code with much less risk. Even with the caveat that sharing location data is unavoidable in some cases, Iorio cautioned that providing blanket access to apps or sites is never a good idea. “If you end up needing location services, you’ll find out after using the app, but maybe the best strategy is to tell everyone no until you really realize you need them,” Iorio said.
It’s also good practice to revoke location permissions for any apps or sites you no longer use, or have mindlessly enabled in the past. You can see which apps are using your location data by going into your smartphone’s settings and navigating to the location sharing tab, usually in the privacy and security settings of most devices. That will list all the apps with access to your location information and give you options to turn it on or off. Apple, samsung, Google and others provide specific instructions on their websites. popular browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Edge and Safari, also provides specific instructions on how to disable location sharing. It’s generally best not to choose “always allow” or similarly worded options in your browser; instead, wait for the popup requesting access and, if necessary, share location data on a case-by-case basis.
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