Well, everyone’s apparently watching everyone else. Certain, both Google and Telstra are watching me.
Yesterday I had to go to an early meet at the International Terminal of Sydney Airport. The arrivals area, so not on the security side. As I sat down for a coffee while awaiting the person to emerge, I noticed I’d received a text message:
(“Planning on using your phone overseas?” it says, “Find out how to best manage your roaming costs at [link]. Enjoy your trip!”)
So Telstra was clearly watching me.
Later, on the way back to Canberra, there was the usual notification from Google whenever I venture into some eatery. This one was for the new pie shop at Sutton Forrest:
Should we be concerned that we’re always being watched? If you are, go to settings and switch off location services in your phone. That likely won’t help keep your location secret should the powers that be go looking for you for some reason, but it will stop the casual Telstra/Google/Apple and so on tracking.
Me? I love the convenience of my phone and service providers knowing where I am so they can be ready to help me at any time. Notice that straight after the pie shop message, Google told me the temperature (Exeter is a town close to Sutton Forrest). I’ll be keeping my location services switched on until evidence of significant abuses appear, if ever.
