Yet another thing to worry about
 

You're just riding loops, getting some miles in. Meanwhile, an old lady has misplaced her ring and reports a burglary. Google is happy to provide the data to police *for everyone*, no questions asked, and because you rode by her house now they want *all* of your data from Google. And Google will give it to them.

Personally rather than panicking like this kid, I'd call the investigators and give them the location data for that day, which would obviously show just a ride-by. But this is something to keep in mind on those care-free bike rides.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...e-him-n1151761

Presumably you don't like being tracked by your phone ?, Put it in airplane mode while you ride ?

One easy way around this, do not use a tracker app. There are certainly other, accurate, inexpensive ways to keep a log of miles.

Airplane mode doesn't guarantee that your phone stops tracking you. Airplane mode only turns off cell service and wifi, satellite and blue tooth are still operating.

I have been telling people for many years that if Big Brother wants anything of yours, .... end of story. Location, records of any sort, travel routes, "personal and protected" communications of any sort .... and Big Business can do pretty much the same, thanks to our compliance.

I realized that my choices were steadily increasing paranoia ... or simply not caring. I track my rides with GPS .... and if some government agent wants to laugh at my pathetic pace, let him (her.)

There are ways to be on the grid less, and ways (pretty extreme) to be pretty much undetectable ... but I am not interested in spending a good part of my life hiding my life. The government wants to know what I bought at the hardware store? They will anyway, so why worry?

it ain't right, but it is real.

I don't mind at all - in fact the only reasons I bring my phone are for tracking and receiving messages.

Airplane mode isn't the answer. Turn off location services if you don't want tracking. Location sharing, location history

And if you trust Google enough, dig through the google account settings to "web & app activity" and turn that off (and NOT just "Location History", which won't do the trick)

BlueTooth has a limited range of maybe 50ft. They can use BT to track you inside stores. The only satellite connection is one-way from the satellite to the device with GPS. There’s no “phone to satellite” connection unless it’s a sat phone you are using.

You and me both - I've been saying it since the Usenet days. Everyone thought they were anonymous, but later on there was an archive database on-line with every Usenet message you ever wrote, under any pseudonym. With your real name attached.

I am employed by one of those Big Businesses where data is the currency, more of an asset than any currency. Personal opinion, it's accelerating and there's not anything we can do about it in our current environment. I would like to see an app though that would detect a bike ride and firewall that data from Google. It should be technically possible.

Cell tower pings can locate you, just not as well as GPS. Also wifi, if there are enough wifi networks wherever you are. I think* Google gets that location information also, even if GPS is turned off, if the service is enabled.

If your phone is collecting this data, Google doesn't necessarily need to have it real time. It can upload any time you have a network connection, WiFi or cell data.

*99% sure of it. If you look back in location history and see sudden jags in the track - like miles away - it's when the algorithm messes up, gps was lost and it only had a ping off some further away cell tower.

Exactly this. In my opinion, if you have generated electrons and fling 'em out all over cyber space, they're out there for anyone with the tech or a warrant to harvest them for their own use.

There is an off button

The phone stores it's GPS data until it connects back to the internet and reports your data to the mothership.

But then people would have to unplug from social media......

I don't play with my smartphone while riding, I don't use strava and I don't use any cycling apps . My phone is turned off and in my pocket while riding my bike. Good luck tracking my down.

I picture the poor schlub in some basement HHS cubical dying a slow death of boredom while listening in on our Echo Dot.

It's impossible to ride a bike with a smartphone turned off.:rolleyes:

IF you're just doing loops, just enjoying a 'care-free' bike ride, just turn the phone off or don't even bring it with you. I do loops all the time during the week and I don't bring a phone with me.

Or use it and don’t worry about it. It seems like it would be difficult to be convicted of robbing a house you were riding loops around.

People worry about big brother watching them and then post their lives on Facebook and Instagram?
I recently read an article about a reporter who used FOI to see what a facial recognition company had cached. Turned out to be a number of selfies she had posted across social media for years.
Just turn the phone off if being tracked bothers you. Capture your data with an old fashioned bike computer.

I don't care to be tracked, so I don't bring a phone. The idea of leaving a trail of blinking red dots gives me the creeps. I ride in part to disconnect from "all that".

i don't use my personal phone for illegal activity.

Turn off location history for Google. I have never had it enabled. In fact, I have basically everything Google related disabled.

George Orwell was quite the prophesizer.

Lol .... buying burner phones for bike rides .... "You can never be too safe .... "

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...68ccf49347.jpg
I've got the problem solved with tin foil