Security Magazine: The Unforeseen Risks of Sharing Smartphone Location Data

Published by Mike Fong on November 19, 2021

The app economy is built on the tacit agreement that users give up some of their data to access valuable services for free, in turn providing app developers with a prime source of revenue. Of all the data given up, location data is perhaps the most personal, as this record of day-to-day movements creates not only a diary of one’s life but also opportunities for third parties to infer everything from where one lives to what one believes. In the hands of a malicious actor, such insights can facilitate physical tracking, blackmail, the outing of deeply held secrets and more. Understanding these risks may make you think twice about sharing your location data.