I found an article from sometime ago as I wanted to read the article when I had time. When you go out with your mobile phone your mobile is attempting to connect to other devices if you leave Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled.
http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/tracked-from-the-moment-you-wake-20130823-2shwq.html
Now here's where you should keep in mind, when your device is trying to connect to other devices that means the other devices are trying to connect your device. Your device has a unique number which means whilst you aren't personally identifiable by name, your device you're carry is uniquely identifiable. Use your credit card which has your name and later that information can be collated. Remember those questions as to what is your postcode. I read that was to allow the names to be matched to locations. Who would have guessed.
In theory a person with access to the right technology can record the movements of people. When they leave home, when they return. The more others know about you the more you increase your own risk. How that information is used we don't generally know.
At it's simplest we're probably now paying more for products and services than we need to, based on the information we provide others. Here's a post I wrote a while ago showing how some people are being offered less than others through the Flybuys discount offers. Those spending more are getting an offer that percentage wise isn't as good as those spending less. Online I've seen super specials in ads that are tracking me that aren't as good as I can get offline. In one case for travel insurance up to 50% more. In another example an overseas government used the information collected by people's own GPS devices to determine where they sped and thus increased the number of people they could book. Their own information ended up being used against them.
I don't know how or if this information being collected is disadvantaging us in some way. I'm sure in time we'll find out. For now though perhaps it's a good idea to turn off features such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth whilst you're out and about, and don't need to use them. On an Apple iPhone swipe up from the bottom and you can quickly turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There will be a similar technique for Android devices.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.
http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/tracked-from-the-moment-you-wake-20130823-2shwq.html
Now here's where you should keep in mind, when your device is trying to connect to other devices that means the other devices are trying to connect your device. Your device has a unique number which means whilst you aren't personally identifiable by name, your device you're carry is uniquely identifiable. Use your credit card which has your name and later that information can be collated. Remember those questions as to what is your postcode. I read that was to allow the names to be matched to locations. Who would have guessed.
In theory a person with access to the right technology can record the movements of people. When they leave home, when they return. The more others know about you the more you increase your own risk. How that information is used we don't generally know.
At it's simplest we're probably now paying more for products and services than we need to, based on the information we provide others. Here's a post I wrote a while ago showing how some people are being offered less than others through the Flybuys discount offers. Those spending more are getting an offer that percentage wise isn't as good as those spending less. Online I've seen super specials in ads that are tracking me that aren't as good as I can get offline. In one case for travel insurance up to 50% more. In another example an overseas government used the information collected by people's own GPS devices to determine where they sped and thus increased the number of people they could book. Their own information ended up being used against them.
I don't know how or if this information being collected is disadvantaging us in some way. I'm sure in time we'll find out. For now though perhaps it's a good idea to turn off features such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth whilst you're out and about, and don't need to use them. On an Apple iPhone swipe up from the bottom and you can quickly turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There will be a similar technique for Android devices.
Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for IT support.
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