Dying For An iPhone

A story has recently broken about how Apple's iPhone and iPad have been collecting users location data. It's something Apple insist they need to collect to help them deliver their services. As an end user you can't opt out, nor delete the data it has already collected. Depending on your circumstances, it could be the mistake that you won't live to make again.

Plenty of people are quite happy to share their information, not just location information, it's all part of the social world we live in. Location information provides a direct link to you in real life however. As people have pointed out, there are various reasons why this could be a good thing. It would allow you to geotag your photos easily, provide localized advertising or give Apple more information on where they can modify local prices of their products to entice people in lower take up areas, or make more money from those in high take up areas. It could provide an alibi, or at least an alibi of where your phone was, it's up to you to convince the authorities that you were with your phone at the time. It could help trace you if you went missing, although this could be done by the Police and the phone networks anyway, even without any phone stored tracking.

There are reasons why this is a very bad thing too. Work in a sensitive location and use an iPhone or iPad? Not anymore. Living in fear of an abusive ex who insists on tracking you down to continue harassing you? Living with an abusive or controlling partner who checks your phone? Do you know your kids keep track of their phones at all times? Do you trust everyone who could possibly have access to your kids? A hotspot location map provides a pattern, patterns allow planning, planning means a much higher chance of committing the crime and avoiding witnesses or leaving evidence. That shiny little piece of consumerism in your pocket or purse plays straight into their hands.

But this information is only available to specific parties right? Not just anyone can look at your data right? Apparently Apple need this data, so they can see it, although they're not likely to just hand it over to your ex, unless of course your ex uses their usual social engineering tricks to pretend to be your current partner calling on your behalf. It's not like they haven't got history if they've been hassling your friends, family and work colleagues to get their to give your location. Is Apple really such a stretch? They're perfectly willing to manipulate and lie to people they likely know in real life, people who also know you and your circumstances, why would a complete stranger be any harder?

Data like this is made available to law enforcement of course, sometimes they may use due process and get a warrant, other times they may just go direct to the phone network, which saves them the inconvenience of informing you, or asking your consent. Lawyers being the ethical creatures that they are, would never allow themselves to be hired by your ex to get discovery on claims of having an affair right? Your location data would be the proof they'd use in court to claim you were somewhere you said you weren't, and by connection, with someone else. It's not the court case you're in danger from, it's your ex having a map of the hot spots you've been at since slipping underground. A friend they never knew about who offers you a spare room? They know now, they have the GPS location of that house. Been checking out refuges trying to get a spare bed? Yep, they have those locations now too.

So they need lawyers making spurious claims, or mates in the Police to pull favours, or the sweet talking ability to lie to a minimum wage call centre worker to get your location data right? No. Turns out, all they need is a few minutes with your phone. This data is not hidden, nor is it encrypted. It apparently syncs when you sync iTunes. Do you know where your phone is now? Someone obsessed with stalking you everywhere you go, concocting pretexts for everything is perfectly capable of slipping your phone away long enough to grab that data and returning it without you knowing it was gone, only to find your previously safe house is no longer safe, and that your friends who have been helping you hide, are suddenly finding a flurry of anonymous calls etc

This is just a way of life in the smartphone world right? Not exactly. Mobile phones have always been able to be pinpointed to within a few feet of their location while switched on, but this ability was always restricted to the network provider and law enforcement. It didn't store any tracking info on the phone, all they had was what tower provided the signal and what direction.

Smartphones are little computers in your pocket or purse, they can do a lot of things, including store data like this. I assumed that Android also gathered data in the same way as the iPhone, I was wrong. It does gather it, but to a lot less of a degree. There's also an app called Location Cache which gives you control over your location data, from deleting the cache it already has, to instructing it not to gather any more.

Apple did their usual "media silence" thing when this story broke, and it grew. Finally they defended it, saying the absolutely need this information to help provide a better service. Given that they control the only way to install applications onto your phone, what are the chances that either Apple themselves or a third party is going to provide a way to disable or restrict that location data collection? It's not going to happen. You're not going to be able to own an iDevice without it tracking your every move.

None of this fixes the issue of information gleamed from undeleted emails, contact lists, SMS messages etc but it does at least put a physical barrier between your person and that information. You know your ex, you know the lengths you've had to go to to escape them and stay hidden. Is an iPhone really worth potentially dying for?

A mobile phone is essential in the modern world, it's especially essential for people who may need it in an emergency at any time. There is no need for it to be the device which betrays you to your ex. Choice is out there, vote with your personal safety.

*Update* I've just found Steve Jobs response to this story, it's worth a read. Keep in mind that Steve has stepped down from day to day duties at Apple for medical leave, yet this story is severe enough that he felt he had to respond.

*Additional Update* There is now a class action lawsuit against Apple for tracking users without their consent. US regulators have summoned both Apple and Google to answer questions on this issue.