# NYT article about private location data vendors



## notimp (Dec 26, 2019)

Interesting read imho. Just to understand the new status quo. 

Some of the companies implicated:
Fidzup, Gimbal, PlaceIQ, Safegraph;

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/19/opinion/location-tracking-cell-phone.html


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## FAST6191 (Dec 26, 2019)

Much like the spying on phone calls I generally assumed such things were happening anyway. Nice maps for bomb locations, advertising boards and combination of demographics (how many people visit here that spend time in bars, how many people visit here that spend time in the fancy supermarkets...).

I would be interested to see some kind of health map made using that -- if the resolution is that good and the timing reasonably precise speeds combined with locations will tell you where they are and how much exercise people are getting.

Wonder if we could noisy up the data and get widespread location signal tweakers installed on phones... might also be an interesting entry in my "you have a crazy 0 day" possibilities list, even if I probably would still go for advert blocking in the end.


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## notimp (Dec 26, 2019)

FAST6191 said:


> I would be interested to see some kind of health map made using that -- if the resolution is that good and the timing reasonably precise speeds combined with locations will tell you where they are and how much exercise people are getting.


Foursquare tried to move the public opinion more towards where you are at - at SXSW recently, and was met by a sorrounding 'get away you creepy bastards' in reaction. 

See: https://mashable.com/article/foursquare-launches-hypertrending-sxsw/


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## notimp (Jan 5, 2020)

Former google exec talkes about 'compromises' that lead to 'Don't be evil' not being the mission statement for the company anymore. Eh - f*ck it, lets make moneys in china.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50976764


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