
Senators ask if Facebook 'really' lets users opt out of location tracking - bookofjoe
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/11/senators-ask-if-facebook-really-lets-users-opt-out-of-location-tracking/
======
pdimitar
I applaud the scrutiny but it's way too slow. By today Google and Facebook and
Amazon combined likely have the physical and virtual movements, geographical
residencies, the geographical key places, and the personal and commercial
interests of most, if not all, of the people connected to the internet.

The hammer needs to be quicker and hit much harder (north of 20% revenue, for
example) if we want any measures to be effective. With that tempo the current
internet won't exist until the lawmakers wake up to the realities of the big
internet corporations.

~~~
clvx
Useless or useful(at your own taste), but it would be nice if they have to
wipe out that kind of data from time to time. Your life evolves your data
should evolve with you too(if you want to). You really don’t remember
everything from your past, but this characteristic is being externalized to
third parties. I understand the government should retain some of this data,
but why a private company should retain it too.

~~~
bluGill
I really like it when facebook shows me random pictures of my kids from 5
years ago. This data is far more valuable to me than if I kept it, if only
because looking at those pictures becomes a bigger event - thus one I do less
often.

~~~
xphilter
Things like Apple's Photos do this too but without the accompanying privacy
risks.

------
exabrial
Facebook doesn't let you opt out of anything. Consent isn't a term they
understand

~~~
cheschire
I would prefer to not pretend that they can't understand the ethically
reprehensible decisions they make.

~~~
JumpCrisscross
> _they can 't understand the ethically reprehensible decisions they make_

Selection effect. Those who thought through what they were doing quit. Those
remaining are happy to turn a blind eye for a paycheque (out of greed and/or
necessity).

------
GrumpyNl
As long as they store your ip in their logs, they know where you have been.

~~~
akamoonknight
Would it possible to somehow run a local proxy or tor-like program that hides
your IP address from internal programs and only provides localhost or some
such. And then on the other end I suppose you'd have to connect through some
sort of tor node to connect to their actual servers too. Poorly thought out
question, but I've never really thought of something like a reverse tor that
hides things from your own personal applications.

~~~
Red_Leaves_Flyy
If the app doesn't need internet than blocks its access to the network.

If it needs access use a VPN.

If you're trying to evade cross device fingerprinting then I can get you some
info.

If you're trying to evade state sponsored attackers then you're probably
already hosed.

------
crtccnt
I'm reminded of the lyrics: You can check out anytime you like but you can
never leave.

I suspect even if facebook, google, apple, etc let users "opt out" explicitly,
they use other methods to implicitly track users. If all else fails, they can
buy data to "fill in the blanks" later on.

------
throwaway35784
Why don't laws about installing a gps tracker on a car apply to installing a
gps tracker on my person?

Facebook is exactly breaking the law at least in many states.

Its so clearly illegal and _wrong_. I really don't understand why someone
doesn't stop them.

Can I form a corporation, employ myself, then act with impunity too?

~~~
MFogleman
The 4th amendment guarantees protection against unreasonable search and
seizure by the government.

Wiretaps can (depending on state) takes hundreds of pages of paperwork, and
months of documentation and review, before they get approved. But if you work
for a company, and they tell you that they are monitoring phone calls made
from company phones, you just have to deal with it.

~~~
throwaway35784
What does the 4th amendment say about non law enforcement persons installing a
GPS tracker on my car.

Can I go and buy a gps tracker and install it on your car? If not, why is
Facebook or Google or whoever allowed to install one on my phone?

It had nothing to do with the 4th amendment. I can buy a GPS tracker on amazon
right now. You don't have to be a cop to install a tracker.

~~~
colejohnson66
Depending on where you are, there may be laws regarding stalking. The problem
is that you “consented” (agreed) to the TOS when you signed up.

~~~
nontoxyc
Facebook tracks you even if you don't have a Facebook account though. And if I
signed up in 2009 did I really agree to sharing location data on a smart phone
in 2019??

Completely aside I'm finding how much data my Android phone shares extremely
intrusive.

~~~
colejohnson66
You may have an argument if you never signed up, but if you _did_ , you agreed
(when checking the “I agree to the TOS” box) that Facebook can make changes to
their TOS and you agree to the new changes. Basically, Facebook can change
their terms at any time and there’s jack squat you can do about it if you want
to keep using the site.

