Google Bans Location Data Firm Funded by Former Saudi Intelligence Head (vice.com) 17
Google has banned SafeGraph, a location data firm whose investors include a former head of Saudi intelligence, Motherboard reported Tuesday. From a report: The ban means that any apps working with SafeGraph had to remove the offending location gathering code from their apps. SafeGraph markets its data to government entities and a wide range of industries, but it also sells the data on the open market to essentially anyone. The news signals Google's continued crackdown on location data firms who sometimes, in violation of Google's policies, pay app developers to include their data harvesting code and then sell the collected data to companies or government agencies. "They are willing to sell extremely fine-grained data and anyone with a credit card can start buying it," Zach Edwards, a researcher who has closely followed the supply chain of various sources of data, told Motherboard in an email last year, when both he and Motherboard were separately investigating SafeGraph.
SafeGraph collected at least some of its location data by having app developers embed the company's code, or software development kit (SDK), into their own apps. Those apps would then track the physical location of their users, which SafeGraph would repackage and then sell to other parties. Google confirmed to Motherboard it told app developers in early June they had seven days to remove SafeGraph's SDK from their apps. If they didn't do this, Google told Motherboard the apps may face enforcement. This can mean removal from the Play Store itself. Beyond its own data, SafeGraph also offers customers the chance to buy related data sets from other providers to enrich the location information, such as the names of property owners in the U.S.
SafeGraph collected at least some of its location data by having app developers embed the company's code, or software development kit (SDK), into their own apps. Those apps would then track the physical location of their users, which SafeGraph would repackage and then sell to other parties. Google confirmed to Motherboard it told app developers in early June they had seven days to remove SafeGraph's SDK from their apps. If they didn't do this, Google told Motherboard the apps may face enforcement. This can mean removal from the Play Store itself. Beyond its own data, SafeGraph also offers customers the chance to buy related data sets from other providers to enrich the location information, such as the names of property owners in the U.S.
Let's just keep a running ban list (Score:1)
Every time I look at Slashdot, there's a new article about something being banned by somebody. Why not just keep a page with a running list of what's been banned and by whom? It'd make it easier to keep up.
Re: (Score:1)
At some point it is easier to just list the acceptable and ignore everything else.
NOTE: I do not necessarily want this nor have I implied it is a good idea. See your party's leaders for what is or isn't acceptable.
You cant have that data (Score:2)
Re:Can google just ban Location Data firms (Score:5, Insightful)
They will use this data to kill people. But probably not you, so it's way less serious than if you get advertising you don't like. Got it. And no, no one is gong to use data about your political posts to hunt you down here in the US. That's such a god damn stretch. We know those regimes you mention straight up murder dissenters, and they use shit like this to track them and kill them. Don't try to equate what our corporations do with data they collect to what murderous tyrants do. Just don't. it's incredibly disrespectful and crass.
Re: (Score:1)
Don't try to equate what our corporations do with data they collect to what murderous tyrants do. Just don't. it's incredibly disrespectful and crass.
this self-righteousness seems a bit out of place.
that is actually the example that our fancy western civilized dignitary corps set when they are unable to even publicly denounce those tyrants even after truculent details have gone public. not even symbolically. isn't that crass?
and that's without even going into the dubious implication that only these few countries deal with internal enemies in dirty ways, or the more fundamental question of what constitutes an "enemy of the state". that's just naive.
also,
Are these militias really all bark and no bite? (Score:4, Insightful)
They will use this data to kill people. But probably not you, so it's way less serious than if you get advertising you don't like. Got it. And no, no one is gong to use data about your political posts to hunt you down here in the US.
...they could fire you...deny your application to a job, condo, etc....maybe just disinvite you to a party.
Also, they don't care about THIS guy or me, but there are a LOT of violent fringe groups who LOVE their guns and are itching for a fight. Yeah, I don't trust the oathkeepers, KKK, proud boys, etc to maintain their cool against someone who writes about them online. There are a lot of journalists, bloggers, abortion providers, authors, etc who have something to fear. Even if they're not murdered, do you want some nutty proud boy following you to work or your kid to school to scare you?...technically not a crime, but intimidating none the less.
Also, don't be so sure no one will get killed. I don't trust those fringe nutjobs who march on the MI capital brandishing their weapons nor the people who stormed the capital on January 6, nor the people who sent death threats to the Sandy Hook families or even just Dr Fauci. We have a history of violence from the far right, both lone wolf criminals like Dylan Roof and the murderer at Charlottesville as well as actual organizations/militias who certainly threaten a lot of violence. I am not really ready to bet with my life that these extreme right wing militias are all talk.
Re: (Score:1)
Jan Six "rioters" killed exactly 0 people.
Violence against police/property not riot enough? (Score:4, Insightful)
Jan Six "rioters" killed exactly 0 people.
What's with the quotes?...you don't think breaking into a building, trashing everything they could, literally shitting all over it, and attacking police officers is not "riot" enough for you? You can reframe the events however you want to in alignment of your fantasy world view, but we saw the video. How would you describe the incident?
I think for most, instigating an attack that ends their life counts as a "kill," regardless of underlying health conditions. Hit someone on the head with a fire extinguisher and he has a stroke...most count that as a kill, but regardless. However, I never said they killed anyone. I said I don't trust them...that their threats they love to make are empty.
We can all agree...you wouldn't want those people, nor anyone else, mad at you with the level of data sold.
There was violence. They were out to harm people. They literally wanted to harm Mike Pence, Nanci Pelosi, etc. They said they wanted to kill Mike Pence. Just because they weren't competent enough to do so on January 6 doesn't mean they're not dangerous.
A lot of assholes online like to downplay that and say the threats were "just for show"...but regardless, do you want a mob of people who say they want to hang you having extremely detailed location data about you? A cross burning in your front yard, like they did for my great grandpa, is fucking terrifying, even if the KKK "killed exactly 0 people" in the cross burning, to quote you. It doesn't matter if they're credible or capable of causing you harm...I think you'd much rather them not having this detailed info about you.
Even if you're a January 6 attack sympathizer, which you appear to be, I am sure there's some group out there you wouldn't want mad at you, especially with detailed location data.
Re: (Score:1)
I'm more afraid of Left Wing nuts that Right Wing Nuts, mostly because the Left Wing Nuts (Which you appear to be) don't understand how dangerous they are.
However, just in case you're not a progressive lunatic, I hope you had the same or greater outrage when BLM and ANTIFA were killing cops and destroying BILLIOINS of dollars and looting, and whatever.
A lot of people downplayed it "mostly peaceful protests". Jan six was bad, but it paled in comparison to the riots of BLM/ANTIFA.
Keep in mind it was a lunati
Body count matters (Score:3)
Body count matters. Sure, some left wingers are criminals and should be tried as such, but
FORMER Property owners. (Score:2)
Beyond its own data, SafeGraph also offers customers the chance to buy related data sets from other providers to enrich the location information, such as the names of property owners in the U.S.
Whew, just under the wire.
Google's rules. (Score:1)
This is essentially Google saying, "We can grab and sell all the data. You can not."
Regardless of who it is that's trawling data and selling it, it's just massively funny to me for them to "crack down" on data miners of any kind when that's seemingly their primary function.
Google won't sell your data to a divorce attorney (Score:5, Insightful)
This is essentially Google saying, "We can grab and sell all the data. You can not."
Regardless of who it is that's trawling data and selling it, it's just massively funny to me for them to "crack down" on data miners of any kind when that's seemingly their primary function.
The difference is they will sell to your divorce attorney, your stalker, your boss, or whomever. Google collects my data for their algorithm. You can't read it. You can't tell I am typing this from home. My boss, parents, wife, coworkers can't buy it. Take the Grindr priest example that recently happened. This company will sell the detailed data on the open market.
I have no problem with Google collecting my data to sell me ads. I have a HUGE problem if it leaks. I have an even bigger problem if someone is selling spy services based on the data.
Let me start by saying, I am a boring person. I only fuck my wife, I do nothing illegal or even really very interesting. I don't even lie to my employer. However, it doesn't take much imagination to see how this will be abused.
Whenever we have this debate on slashdot, someone invariably says...well if you don't want to get caught, don't do anything wrong.
I will add this. I don't do anything interesting the app will find. I'm not looking for a new job. I don't have a mistress. I don't do anything illegal. However, this is an unregulated app from shady people.
Google being anticompetitive (Score:2)