Something I did not realise Google was doing - cleaver or creepy?


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According to Samy Kamkar on this Blog post - and having tried it, it is spot on.

android map exposes the data that Google has been collecting from virtually all Android devices and street view cars, using them essentially as global wardriving machines. 

When the phone detects any wireless network, encrypted or otherwise, it sends the BSSID (MAC address) of the router along with signal strength, and most importantly, GPS coordinates up to the mothership. This page allows you to ping that database and find exactly where any wi-fi router in the world is located. 

You can enter any router BSSID/MAC address to locate the exact physical location below, or try his demonstration router by hitting "Probe"

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Personally tried and it is 100% spot on as per my image. I then looked up the IP address and this told me who owns the IP pipe and most likely the company I am sitting at.  I could do the same with a search at Companies House and the address or you could just phone me up as ask me.   

Am I worried that I can be tracked no.  Am I worried that someone could exploit this raw data, maybe. Am I worried that the data and its subsequent analysis is hidden and I cannot get access to it - probably. Am I worried that I cannot own my own data, signals and value - Yes