Is Your Cell Phone Exposing Where You Are?

Tech Analyst Larry Magid: The Potential Is There To Track You, But Are The Safeguards?

(CBS) 
Both Helio and Loopt have been vetted by major cellular carriers, which provides a bit of assurance that the services will be responsibly managed, but there is the possibility of other companies entering this market without cooperation from major carriers, and as Skyhook Wireless has shown, there are ways to track people using technologies other than cell phones.

Skyhook Wireless uses WiFi to plot users' locations. The Boston-based company hired people to drive by offices, businesses and homes in about 2,500 towns and cities throughout the United States using special sensing equipment to pick up the signals from WiFi devices. Once their equipment receives a WiFi signal, it maps that network's unique MAC (media access control) address along with the street address where it's located. It doesn't matter if the WiFi connection is public, private, open or encrypted, because Skyhook doesn't access the network itself but merely receives the signal that identifies the device. Such signals are openly available even if the access point is encrypted.

Skyhook users have a WiFi adapter in their device PC, but don't need to be using it. You could, for example, be sitting at home or at a coffee shop, not even using that wireless network and receive coordinates that track your location. To transmit that information to others, however, you will need some type of Internet connection.

Skyhook already has a deal with AOL to power the AIM Location service so that "your buddies can show you where they're hanging out" (and vice versa). AIM users can download a small plug-in that locates you based on your proximately to nearby hotspots and transmits that information to any buddies with the plug-in that you've allowed to see it. Like Helio and Loopt, this is strictly an opt-in service. You must download the software, configure it to work and tell it with whom you want to share your location information.

Skyhook's stated privacy policy assures users that the company "can not, does not and will not track your location" and that "any queries to determine location are made in the blind and are not paired with any personally identifiable information." The company further states that "the only time your location and identity are paired is when you voluntarily elect to enter the username/password for a 'friend finder' service such as AOL Locator or Where.com."

That's all well and good, but it's not an iron-clad guarantee that nothing will go wrong. Whether it's WiFi, a cell phone or another technology, there is always a possibility that the information can somehow get into the wrong hands.

One could imagine the possibility of a hack attack or a corrupt insider leaking information, but the most likely scenario is that a user will either be careless about the people they permit to know their location or that they will be tricked into making someone a friend who isn't really a friend. There is also the possibility of a friend becoming an ex-friend and misusing location information.

And this is exactly why members of the location services industry met with Washington policy makers and other stake-holders at the April 25 event that was sponsored by the Internet Education Foundation. Although no formal proposals came out of that meeting, there was discussion about "best practices" — industry guidelines — to protect users as well as the need to educate people about how to use this technology safely. Loopt, for example, has a safety page with advice, including a question to help you determine whether your friend is truly trustworthy: "Would you give them your keys to feed your dog or water your plants?"

It's déjà vu all over again. Technology keeps changing, which means we have more things to look out for. But one thing remains the same. A little common sense and some critical thinking can go a long way towards keeping us safe.

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A syndicated technology columnist for over two decades, Larry Magid serves as on air Technology Analyst for CBS Radio News. His technology reports can be heard several times a week on the CBS Radio Network. Magid is the author of several books including "The Little PC Book."

[cfin5]

This is why I got 4 of these phones for everybody in my house. With all the crime going on outside my door it relieves my mind alittle to know instant communication for help is available for my girls. Yes it is a tool that can be used for big brother, but my families safety trumps out anything else. GOVERN YOURSELF like GOD knows what your doing anyway and this issue seems so lame in my opinion.

[harp1963]

Who cares.

[bobnjersey]

[Get a life! There isn't a government conspiracy around every corner. You must have a sad life if this is all you sit around an worry about.]
[Posted by retmilspouse at 09:20 PM : May 01, 2007]

maybe not ... but there is this thing called TIA Network ... 'Terrorist Information Awareness Network' which was initially called the 'Total Information Awareness Network' until it was discovered the program existed and it was headed by none other than Admiral John Poindexter.

In the event that name doesn't ring a bell he was Oliver North's boss in the Iran Contra deal during the Reagan admin and was convicted of five felony counts including obstruction of justice, destroying evidence, etc. (his convictions were conveniently overturned by an appeals court)

Allegedly the program was ended ... but it wasn't ... it was just subsumed by the various intelligence agencies in the DOD, NSA, and CIA.

the wall street journal did a cover story on the program in spring 2006 (just before the wiretapping leak occured). they're monitoring every piece of tranactional info they can get there hands on ... and that could include credit card records, phone records, banking records, travel info, easy pass, your supermarket club card, and the frequency of your bowel movements!

but there's no conspiricies in the government ... you're right ... they've proven again and again that they can be completely trusted!

[sevenveils]

It's nine o'clock. Do you know we know where your children are.

[retmilspouse]

This might not be so scary if it weren't coming into effect during the Bush regime. I wouldn't trust them to tell me it was May 1, let alone trust them with my location.
Posted by jjreding at 12:28 PM : May 01, 2007

Get a life! There isn't a government conspiracy around every corner. You must have a sad life if this is all you sit around an worry about.

[jjreding-2009]

This might not be so scary if it weren't coming into effect during the Bush regime. I wouldn't trust them to tell me it was May 1, let alone trust them with my location.