OFF THE WIRE
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) — What if someone had a list of everywhere you go, along with the exact time you arrive and leave there each day?
You may be surprised to know that it’s on your iPhone, which has a feature that is likely tracking your every move.
The feature – Frequent Locations – is not new, but most people don’t exactly know where to find it on their iPhone.
Here’s how:
Click Settings, Privacy, Location Services …
Settings Privacy Location Services
scroll down, System Services, then Frequent Locations.
System Services Frequent LocationsOnce there, most are shocked by what they find: every location they’ve been to, including the time arrived and left.
It even labels your assumed home and work addresses, based on the amount of time you spend there.
One of the concerning things is the feature is hidden from you in your iPhone. Privacy experts like Noah Swartz of the Electronic Frontier Foundation have long been concerned about the implications of this hidden information.
“This could be used by abusive partners. It could be used by police in an investigation,” said Swartz. “It could be used by your boss or your company if you gave them access to your phone or if you’re using a work phone.
Cell phone data can also be subpoenaed for both criminal and civil cases, such as divorce proceedings.
Frequent Locations are meant to provide you with personalized services, like predictive traffic routing. You opt into sharing your location with Apple when you first set up your iPhone and start using its Maps app.
Apple says the data is stored only on your device, unless you “opt in to improve Maps” – then Apple says it stores your data anonymously.
