Iphone Tracker app

We've been doing some research on this at work, theres a thread about it here http//www.forensicfocus.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=6758

We've only been able to get to about a mile radius in accuracy, I'll have to look into the code these chaps are using to see if they know something I dont.

I would argue that it is highly improbable that Apple are colating geodata for sinister use. I think that this article is scaremongering users into thinking they are being tracked. It could be suggested that they should be more worried about the JPG geotags that they're uploading to Twitpic, blogs, Carigslist or sharing with third parties…………

Redcelica67,

I couldn’t agree with you more that much of this is fear mongering. I believe it is safe to say that they obtain this location data to make more money. Mall developers, McDonalds and all sorts of businesses would like to obtain this data to track trends and movements of the populous. Now if Apple is working with Google don’t you think they could track your position and log search terms like Coffee? They in turn sell that data to Starbucks and based on the numbers it could mean a new store?

Now from an LE standpoint I wonder what the retention period for this data might be and can it be obtained with a Search Warrant? Depending on the accuracy of the data it could provide information more accurate than the standard cell site locations.

http//www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/04/22/apple-google-location-advertising/?

I suppose one favourable aspect to arise from this is that no one was talking about this specific issue, although there has been discussion about users distributing their own location position

Any aspect of a system that records information about peoples movements is something users should be aware.

The legal position may not be clear. If you pay for a subscription this means the service is not subsidised to the extent that operators can simply sell off information about your whereabouts without your consent. The notion that users have given everything away because it is concealed in small print and non-understandable jargonise is acceptable does not automatically find favour and protection within the law. There are many good lawyers who are better placed to answer this as I am not a lawyer. The issue of "consent" may be one issue though, another might be did the operator / handset manufacturer follow national laws of supply in a country? For the UK, the questions of 'rights' and 'privacy' may be directed to the Information Communication http//www.ico.gov.uk/

"The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals."