If you've never seen your Timeline on Google Maps, you're in for a big shock. If you have location history enabled (as many of us unknowingly do) on any iOS or Android device, then the Google Maps app has been logging every place you've ever visited. Check out your location history here before continuing: Google Maps Timeline.
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| My Frequent Ann Arbor Locations |
Launched in 2009, Google Maps’ Timeline "feature" gives you a detailed look into exactly where you were at any time with place names, exact time ranges, and even displays photos you took at each place and time. It also provides us a glimpse into the terrifying amounts of location data that Google collects from every user. On my Timeline, which goes back to October 2014, Google logged 363 places that I visit frequently. Each day I choose features a detailed breakdown of each location I visited, how long I was in that place, the pictures I took during my stay at each place, and my mode of transportation between each place. You can see an example of just half of one day from my timeline in the screenshot below. You can clearly see that I left my house at 9:57am on this Gameday Saturday, I hung out at my friend Austin's house from 9:57am-11:59am, and then I walked for 11 minutes to Michigan Stadium, where I arrived 10 mins late to the game, at 12:10pm, and took a few pretty pictures. Browsing your exact moves throughout everyday for years is incredibly fascinating and creepy at the same time.
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| Half of my Location History from 11/16/2019 |
Google can derive your location data through your device’s IP address, your search queries, your marked places on Google Maps, and/or your device itself (if location history is enabled). Google claims to only use this information to display relevant ads and search results, but the act of storing and mass harvesting of user data is extremely problematic. Even though Google tries to do no evil, the fact that your exact location is recorded and stored on Google’s data centers, and that your location data is directly tied to your Google account (and by extension, your identity) is deeply troubling.
I love how you created detailed and surprising examples on how the Google Maps Timeline uses location data on smartphones. I have been reading in the news about how Google Maps Incognito Mode is available on Android and will be on iOS soon. Moor states that we should “realistically take into account that ethics is an ongoing and dynamic enterprise.” It would be interesting if you could give your opinion on these ongoing initiatives for location privacy or even provide a counter argument as to why Incognito Mode is not a sufficient effort.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the strong suit of this article is how relatable or applicable this is to almost who owns a smartphone, and I personally didn't realize how frequently this locational data was being logged until I read this. However, its not as clear exactly why this is a bad thing. Obviously, big companies hoarding data of its users paints a dystopian picture, but It would be insightful to hear how exactly this can negatively impact someone. To be specific, you say that Google's access to all this data is "problematic" and "deeply troubling", but why exactly is it so? Is it the targeted ads? Or perhaps the risk of this data being leaked to a malicious group? Even if it is, do those consequences out weigh the daily benefits that billions of people including you and I gain from using their products? Whats the alternative?
ReplyDeleteI found this article to be really engaging because it grabs your attention immediately and holds onto it. One criticism of your blog is that it doesn't talk much about Moor's text, focusing instead on explaining Google's data collection techniques. I would perhaps allocate more time to relating the text to the issues of data collection by Google. I suggest cutting out your discussion of Google's Privacy and Terms agreement and some of the following text about their location tracking capabilities. After doing this, you could then spend more time explaining Moor's ideas and relating them to your blog.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably the most applicable post I've seen thus far. Your hook is phenomenal, the fact that you were willing to share your own location history as an anecdote makes your post even more personal. I did, however, find your post to be quite extensive and I noted that you did pass the word limit. I would suggest cutting down on the details of your location history and the last paragraph too.
ReplyDeleteA major point that I believe makes your post stand out is the fact that any user who has read your post can search their own location history for their Google account. I made sure to check out mine, but to my surprise, I had only logged two locations: my home in Ann Arbor and Toronto Pearson Intl Airport. I believe that I might have deactivated the setting for Google Maps to actively be tracking my location. Interestingly enough, I'm a bit conflicted on this decision. I genuinely wanted to know about which places I frequented and where I've been these last couple of years. The other side of me is kind of glad that Google does not have this information from me.
Although I know that the word limit is not on your side, I think it would be beneficial to show the reader how you could enable/disable this feature.
Aside from these couple of critiques, I genuinely and thoroughly enjoyed reading your post. Keep up the good work!