Google: I know we promised not to mix our data silos buuuut... The European Commission has confirmed that it will probe competition concerns over Google's decision to allow personal user data in its silos to co-mingle, to create "super profiles". Until last June, Google explicitly stated that behavioural data from its giant DoubleClick ad network would not be merged with a user's Google …
Concur, sounds like Google is merging data from Android cellphones. That is, unless someone with Google+ / Hangouts or other service, can confirm that there's also an SMS service there...??? BTW: Google is also slurping juicy medical data, and perhaps lots more we're only dimly aware of. The data monster continues its onslaught...
That line won't fly. But it's worth pointing out that AI assistants needs an even larger pot of melded data in order to give a *particular* person the answer *they* are looking for.
Which mapping engine did it consult? Which product recommendation engine did it use? Which third party specialist systems were consulted and now know you were seeking such data?
Settings->Location Access -> Access My Location -> [GPS Satellites +wi-fi ticked]
Question:
Anyone know how to bork 'Access My Location' permanently or render the underlying services stone dead? All possible 'usual suspects' apps / services are already disabled, so curious how is this still happening...??? But it wasn't happening 6 months ago. (No apps are installed! The phone data plan is only used for emergencies using built-in Chrome etc..).
> Anyone know how to bork 'Access My Location' permanently or render the underlying services stone dead?
It needs root (it won't do much without root) and be careful which Location Services you disable. If you disable everything brute force Google Play Store and other Google Apps will refuse to work.
~ Thanks for the advice. From day one I disabled Google-Play and all Google apps except the keyboard which you can't do without it seems.
~ But 'root' is a problem as I don't know which ROM I need to Flash it, and I don't want to bork the whole phone etc...
~ So I was hoping there was a simpler way to permanently disable Location Services from getting toggled on.
~ The only apps that I ever let run are Android System + a few sparse services, Google Keyboard, Contact, Camera and occasionally Chrome...
~ Yet something is still activating Location Access at mysterious times...
Just to add.. Phone uses Android 4.2.2 ... 'Location Access' is being enabled just by making a phone call. Don't remember this happening a year ago. It occurs even if every 'running app' has been killed off except Settings & Google keyboard (which has no disable option). Can't find any posts on the net about this issue either which is bad!
It needs root. The tool can tell you which apps require Location Services, and you can disable it. It is also a potentially dangerous tool - you can easily brick your phone by tweaking the wrong thing.
Rooting your phone depends on model and make, and if it is rootable or not. For some phones you can search for, and find exploits at xda-developers. Some other phones are not rootable unless you rebuild the kernel yourself taking advantage of a known vulnerability. On some phones that requires unlocking the bootloader, flashing the new kernel and then re-locking the bootloader.
Flashing your own kernel can also brick the phone.
For Android 4.2.2 I'm guessing it's more likely to find an exploit at xda-developers that gives you root. Unlike more recent versions of Android which have gotten better at plugging root exploits, which makes them harder to root.
I may use Google Search, however what if I don't have a google account?
How do I tell Google I don't want to opt-in and let them co-mingle any private data?
What privacy settings do I have?
Time for Google to be declared a monopoly.
BTW, I wonder why Andrew or any of the El Reg reporters never talked about why they use Google Analytics when they could provide the same stats on their own. ;-)
Even if you don't have an account, after a while Google will show you a "privacy settings" box, and won't let you use its service until you agree with its terms. You may disable some of the tracking - albeit the UI is designed to discourage you (just a step behind the "click x to install" of Windows 10) and make it as confusing as they can.
If it doesn't appear, you already have some Google cookies set - don't know if settings can be verified and changed without an account. You may delete the cookies, and the box will appear again.
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