In the News
Mobile apps and online websites are riddled with ads custom-made for each user. In It Takes Just $1,000 to Track Someone’s Location With Mobile Ads, a group of security researchers explain how anyone with no more than $1,000 can create an ad to pinpoint individuals’ location. The process can be random, or–with a little knowledge of which phone apps a specific individual uses–tailored to track an individual target.
Our Take
Many people have capitulated to companies like Google and Amazon when it comes to privacy: the convenience has outweighed the perceived harm of sharing personal information with these companies, so we are not careful about what kinds of permissions or access we allow them. Surrendering personal details such as location to the average citizen, on the other hand, is a more difficult pill for most people to swallow. The relatively low cost of this mobile location tracking trick has a number of dangerous implications, especially related to stalking and domestic abuse.
Ads are more than just an annoyance: they are sometimes a vector for malware infections, a means of getting individuals to click on malicious websites, and, as in this case, a potential invasion of privacy.
Recommendations
- Choose carefully which ad-supported apps you utilize
- Check what permissions are requested when you download an app; it may not stop this type of activity, but it is another layer in defense of your privacy
- Paying a few dollars for the premium service of a mobile app, one that eliminates ads, may be worth it for reducing your vulnerability to ad-based location hackers