Why is my iphone tracking my location to a secret database, wifi access points and cell towers?

This is true.. the only people who think its not are the Apple fanboys who think Apple can do no wrong.

Thousands more people will now jailbreak their phones, you cant stop the phone from recording the data but there is an app called untrackerd from cydia for jailbroken phones that works in the background deleting the database as it is made. and it does work, a friend has installed it and the database went from 7mb to 131kbs.

Will probably now do mine this weekend, Ive never wanted to, but Apple is now forcing you to do somthing they are so against.

FOX and reputable should never be used in the same sentence.

@ applefandan

This is not a "minor bug". It is a huge, massive security flaw that could compromise people's lives. Think about other countries who are probably thinking of using this as we speak to track down and kill opposition figures. And Apple just sitting there not saying a word as if nothing is going on really makes me wonder if they even care.

Oh please.... if the map is anything like mine, the bad guys are going to need a heck of a big bomb to get me, as I appear to have spent some time in a few towns 50 or more miles away, that I have never visited. Assuming that I let them steal my phone or Mac, which I don't appear to have done.

I'm much too old to suffer from the current hysteria.... what's the next crisis going to be? My enemies can find me in the dark now because I finally got a white iPhone?

Mr.White2 makes excellent points. This seems to be a security flaw that might very well put lives in danger if it were to fall into the wrong hands. I'm very surprised Apple has remained silent on this issue. Or am I surprised? Marianne Jenning's has a book called "The Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse" Does Apple exhibit five of the seven?

1. Bigger than life CEO

2. Pressure to Maintain Numbers

3. Innovation Like No Other

4. Fear and Silence

5. Goodness in Some Areas Atones for Evil in Others

We shall see. As for now all I'm asking is for Apple to come clean on this. If the report is true, fix it.

MrWhite2 wrote:

@ applefandan

This is not a "minor bug". It is a huge, massive security flaw that could compromise people's lives. Think about other countries who are probably thinking of using this as we speak to track down and kill opposition figures. And Apple just sitting there not saying a word as if nothing is going on really makes me wonder if they even care.

Oh please. How do you propose they do that? They would have to take everyone's phone or computer and then look at their maps because any data sent to apple is sent anonymously. It is much easier to track people these days WITHOUT stealing their computer/phone. You can call up the phone company with a warrant to see their records (since they DO store information on where you have been that you can be identified by) of which towers your phone has connected to (ANY phone not just a smart phone). I mean come on.

applefandan wrote:

MrWhite2 wrote:

@ applefandan

-snip-

Oh please. How do you propose they do that? They would have to take everyone's phone or computer and then look at their maps because any data sent to apple is sent anonymously. It is much easier to track people these days WITHOUT stealing their computer/phone. You can call up the phone company with a warrant to see their records (since they DO store information on where you have been that you can be identified by) of which towers your phone has connected to (ANY phone not just a smart phone). I mean come on.

How hard, or how long it could take to use this for nefarious purposes does not matter. The fact that it is possible is inexcusable. And compounded by the fact that it has now been about 4 days without one single word from Apple.

MrWhite2 wrote:

applefandan wrote:

MrWhite2 wrote:

@ applefandan

-snip-

Oh please. How do you propose they do that? They would have to take everyone's phone or computer and then look at their maps because any data sent to apple is sent anonymously. It is much easier to track people these days WITHOUT stealing their computer/phone. You can call up the phone company with a warrant to see their records (since they DO store information on where you have been that you can be identified by) of which towers your phone has connected to (ANY phone not just a smart phone). I mean come on.

How hard, or how long it could take to use this for nefarious purposes does not matter. The fact that it is possible is inexcusable. And compounded by the fact that it has now been about 4 days without one single word from Apple.

It isn't that, it is the fact that it is nearly impossible. What you are saying is they can use this to track people. But in order to track where they have BEEN (they can't remotely tap into this particular file and see it update on a realtime basis) they would need to know where they already ARE so that they can take their laptop or phone. So really, just don't lose your computer or your phone ( and if you do just use find my iphone which is free so that you can remotely wipe it). So be REALISTIC. And if you REALLY want a word from apple, contact them yourself. Apple monitors these forums for appropriate posts/discussions, but this isn't specifically talking to an apple rep. call their corporate number or tech support and ask for information. ranting on this forum is going to get you nowhere.

I like this bug, as i have instaled the decoder software I've used the tracker data to put my photos in right place.

I don't want to disable this feature!

Your photos are already Geo Tagged, you dont need this Bug to do that!

Actually, the longer than intended storage as a bug I can certainly believe. Look a t Microsoft, Adobe, any one of hundreds of major software companies - their code is, and has been, for decades, riddled with bugs. Bug catching and fixing eats up entire divisions of programmers at big software houses, and they never seem to complete the task.

Corporate size has nothing to do with it, in fact, it seems the opposite, as the larger companies seem to have the most bugs in their software products.

"I believe restitution is owed."

Of course you do. Nothing about your life was disclosed, and you knew nothing about this unitl you read something. I think Apple owes you a million dollars, just because you are you.