Posted on 04/03/2020 2:53:01 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
Paris (AFP) - Google will publish location data from its users around the world from Friday to allow governments to gauge the effectiveness of social distancing measures put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the tech giant said.
The reports on users' movements in 131 countries will be made available on a special website and will "chart movement trends over time by geography," according to a post on one of the company's blogs.
Trends will be display "a percentage point increase or decrease in visits" to locations like parks, shops, homes and places of work, not "the absolute number of visits," said the post, signed by Jen Fitzpatrick, who leads Google Maps, and the company's chief health officer Karen DeSalvo.
"We hope these reports will help support decisions about how to manage the COVID-19 pandemic," they said.
In Europe and the United States, technology firms have begun sharing "anonymised" smartphone data to better track the outbreak.
Even privacy-loving Germany is considering using a smartphone app to help manage the spread of the disease.
But activists say authoritarian regimes are using the coronavirus as a pretext to suppress independent speech and increase surveillance.
And in liberal democracies, others fear widespread data harvesting and intrusion could bring lasting harm to privacy and digital rights.
(Excerpt) Read more at france24.com ...
Yes, it does - through cell phone tower and known Wifi network triangulation. It’s not as precise as GPS but often it can do well enough.
How about just turning the thing off and leaving it someplace....like the bottom of an empty ammo can.
Thing’s been turning into more bother than it’s worth anyway.
This just gives me the last excuse I needed to cut that cord.
Computer.
Gosh....what’s next? A national vaccine?
aggregate data
Can I wrap it aluminon foil?
Put it in the microwave oven.
It’s an excellent faraday cage and sound shield
...don’t turn it on though
Oddly, my phone doesn’t track me very well when I leave it home. Funny how easy it is to defeat the technology that way.
Every microwave oven is a very good faraday cage made to keep microwaves in, but it will work just the same to keep electromagnetic waves out.
Steel file cabinet or steel toolbox will work file.
As Benjamin Franklin said Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety
File => fine.
Clever idea!
When one finally has enough of it, you can always tape to the bottom of a CA or NY bound 18-wheeler or freight train....let em track that for awhile.
Russia is requiring people to have a special QR code to move outside of their house, and its pulled if they get covid (or are marked by the government for some reason).
I KNOW!! I didn’t know that until I saw it on a tv show last week.
How do we shield them?
https://www.amazon.com/Lvfeier-Security-Pouch-Anti-Tracking-Anti-Spying/dp/B07J27D5TJ/ref=sr_1_18?crid=37R6OEZS3SPYE&dchild=1&keywords=cell+phone+faraday+bag&qid=1585966552&s=electronics&sr=1-18
Foil will do the trick. To test, wrap your phone, use another phone to call your phone. Should go straight to voice mail.
Hey thanks man.
Then you have the problem that you wont be able to access the apps youre going to need for the foreseeable future. More than a few stores and restaurants are starting to require ordering via app for curbside pickup.
Go to Amazon and link up Fariday bag.
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