block GPS tracking

What makes you angry about this and what answers are you demanding? Your phone stores a local copy of you location data. If you don't like it, encrypt your backups.

Understand that if you've owned a cell phone in the last 10 years, your location data has been tracked and stored by your cell provider. Would you rather have a company store that data, or have it locally stored on your own computer?

The problem is, that iTunes makes a backup from every iPhone that connect to it. So if you recharge your iPhone at work or anywhere else, there will be a copy of your datas.

Be responsible where you plug your mobile device into. If you have iTunes installed on a work computer and you're plugging your phone into it - that's your decision. Honestly it amazes me that people are willing to plug their personal phones into work computers in the first place. Next off, charging your phone - bring the USB power/wall plug.

Maybe in todays day and age you should use a little more caution then simply allowing every company out there they you purchase or use service from to define every aspect of what you do, with or without your knowledge.

At least with you cell provider your assured that data is encypted and only available to local, state, or federal authorities via a warrant.

As Lucas Baade notes the data is copied from my device to any computer I sync with, again unencrypted.

Personally I want to know why the system keeps this sort of data and whom is allowed to view it? There is NO need to track my latitude and longitude with date time stamps of everywhere I go on my local device, much less without some sort of encryption. It's simply ludicrous.

Weather Apple or any other company agrees or not, once I buy a device with my money, it's mine to do with as I please as long as it's not used for illegal purposes. I've always been an opponent of using a jb on my phone but knowing about this now I plan to take this one into my own hands today. Apple needs to get their heads in the game and realize there are many of us whom won't simply give in to the type control they appear to want over us and everything we do. Can you tell I'm a little erk'd ? 😝

First you need to understand that the iPhone doesn't automatically dump a file of location data into any computer it's plugged in to. iTunes has to be installed, and you have to launch iTunes for it to even begin running a backup.

Second you need to understand that, yes, you own the device, but you need to read the TOS thoroughly about the usage of the iOS on the phone. Of course you own the device. But you should familiarize yourself with the OS running on the device - which you do NOT own.

I can tell you're "erk'd" that's fine. But educate yourself on the finer points of this actual "issue" before you get bent out of shape and become some conspiracy theorist, upset over the potential uses of this data. It's yours to encrypt as well, so encrypt your iPhone backups.

I'm honestly more pleased that this data is accessible to the iPhone owner, rather than stored exclusively with the cellular carrier, where who knows what is done with it.

Where did you get this idea? The iPhone does NOT backup to every computer with iTunes that you use to charge the phone. If it did, your data would be wiped off the phone everytime.

You'll note I did say any computer I 'sync' with not simply plug the device into.

And yes, I get that IOS is not 'mine' and I do love it and have come to love Apple products. And being a conspiracy theorist is not my mentality, that was why I used the smiley, however you have to wonder 'why are they saving the data and whom is allowed to access it?' Currently if it's missed during the check of an app in the app store anyone can look at it I assume. Again totally unencypted makes it pretty wide open. Then the unsuspecting user whom allows said app to send the data out might be divulging info they really don't want to be known.

Really this isn't much different then geo tracking on images, sort of. I really don't want pictures I take to be tagged with my coordinates either.

I just see that many things like this that continue to produce more and more private information about ourselves makes it easier everyday for the possible con-artists out there. I wonder why people simply sit back and are content with their private lives being made more public everyday without a care. Again at least under the TOS with your cell phone provision they do not have a legal right to give or share any information about yourself or your phone habits without a subpoena. They already know who I am, where I live, and have other credit and such information so what's to worry about there for me really.

I've had my identitiy stolen once and though it was a couple simple checks in my name it was a number of mnths to get sorted out that they were fake and not even me. It was a real pain.

Heck I bet the forum here is logging a bunch of information not needed, lol.

Don't trust what any single user writes do go research and then make an informed decision. In the end I'm simply happy that my post can be read by others and they can at least determine what is right for them to do by knowing there 'could' be an issue.

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The person who said nobody can read you tracking files is wrong. I was able to check my wifes my moms and my own no problem and to disable this you need to jailbreak your phone this is wrong!

I am angry also the problem is you need a search warrent to get ATT to give you info but with this you do not. This is a free country and I do not need people tracking me!

You can also just turn off Location Services in your iPhone's settings.

Matt

How does Apple or anyone else for that matter know who is using the iphone they are just tracking the phone not the user. As an example I left my phone on the train and it went all the way through UK until a nice person found it and kindly returne it to me a week later.

fredfromkillyleagh wrote:

How does Apple or anyone else for that matter know who is using the iphone they are just tracking the phone not the user.

No they are not tracking it at all.

So there is no-one they are tracking, and they don't know who is or is not using the iphone they are not tracking or where it is or isn't and they don't care.

I am angry also the problem is you need a search warrent to get ATT to give you info but with this you do not. This is a free country and I do not need people tracking me!

Goodness who is tracking you?

And is being scanned naked if you go to the airport, or being able to be detained indefinitly on an allegation free?

The person who said nobody can read you tracking files is wrong. I was able to check my wifes my moms and my own no problem and to disable this you need to jailbreak your phone this is wrong!

yes, if you steal or use someones computer who has an unencrypted iphone backup then you can use the location app and see where they have been.

I would say you were also able to look at their email while you were there?

Did you also check out their web history?

Did they have auto log in enabled?

Let's put it this way, if you have no security on your computer and someone steals it, knowing where you went last week is the least of your worries.

I came across this discussion when searching for help! I would like to say I have recently been a "victim" of the Iphone tracker...the one a person would pay LOTS of $$ for...and is obviously intended for cruel purposes. since there is a program like this where is the program to block or hide from these people! I am gathering my info for a prosecution...just sayin...not fair!

JR7 wrote:

I would like to say I have recently been a "victim" of the Iphone tracker.

Hmm, you do realise this was back in April?

And there have been fixes by Apple?

I am not exactly sure what your talking about, it's kind of muddled and not written very well.

You appear to be talking about some app, rether then the log files that were discussed in this discussion.

Please google about the iPhone log files in iOS4.

It's not a problem anymore, and no one actually had any issues with it, save for a few scared people who thought someone was tracking them.

And this bug didn't actually broadcast that information.