Followoing on from my last post about Apple tracking movements, its also worth pointing out that Google do the same!
When you install some apps from the Android Market you get a warning about this, asking whether you want to allow Google to anonymously mine this data. What is not clear though is whether this prevents the installation of the application, which is a bit poor.
You are a lot more likely to opt out of this data if you know you can run the app anyway. By being ambiguous at install it encourages the user to accept sharing of this data. The install routines do not make it clear whether the opt in / out is a dependancy of the application or not.
The most controversial app on android in terms of tracking is the “Latitude” app, which allows you to share your location with friends.
This is, its has to be said a really cool app, and looks a lot of fun. You share your location with your friends and you can all see each others location overlain onto a Google map. So, you can see what everyone is up to, Great! Or not as the case may be.
Whilst fun, this is perhaps the most dangerous app I have ever seen and would never install it myself.
I am sure this app will be popular with parents wanting to serrupticiously install it on their childs new birthday present!
Privacy is an increasingly complex, and interesting field with regard mobile apps. Its hard to see which way things will go, one thing is certain though, we have not even scratched the surface in terms of what is possible with these apps from a data mining perspective.
Expect to see a lot more contraversy and debate over the next five years!