# Is Your Smart Phone Recording You and Sending Info To......?



## RadishRose (Jan 5, 2018)




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## applecruncher (Jan 5, 2018)

Often when I return from a store I get a message asking me to review it.  Happened the other day when I went to Walgreens._

Like dozens of other brick-and-mortar retailers, Nordstrom wanted to learn more about its customers — how many came through the doors, how many were repeat visitors — the kind of information that e-commerce sites like Amazon have in spades. So last fall the company started testing new technology that allowed it to track customers’ movements by following the Wi-Fi signals from their smartphones.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/15/business/attention-shopper-stores-are-tracking-your-cell.html​​_


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## hollydolly (Jan 5, 2018)

yes I've occasionally had texts from stores after I've visited them even if I haven't bought anything... it annoys the heck outta me that they can do this...


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## applecruncher (Jan 5, 2018)

hollydolly said:


> yes I've occasionally had texts from stores after I've visited them even if I haven't bought anything... it annoys the heck outta me that they can do this...



It's downright creepy imo. Almost like being stalked.


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## Don M. (Jan 5, 2018)

How do you think site like Facebook and Twitter make their billions of dollars????  These smart phone sites track your every move, and pick out key words in your conversations and sell this data to the advertisers for a hefty fee.  Anytime you have your cell phone on, Privacy is just a "Myth".  And...it's just not the "advertisers" who are tracking you...if you've paid attention to the news, the government has intercepted many cell phone conversations which have been valuable in stopping terrorist activity....basically "Big Brother" is Also taking note of everything you say and do.  

Some of the largest data centers in the world are serving the Internet and Cell Phone providers, and the applications which they "sponsor".  Given that the power and capabilities of computers and data processing is doubling every two or three years, it won't be long before even your bathroom won't be "secure" if you have your cell phone or computer on.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 5, 2018)

We have a mega mall that uses license plate scanners, similar to those used by law enforcement, to capture information about the people that come to shop.  Supposedly they only capture zip codes but if you can capture one bit of information I would think that they could capture it all.

Add in, social media, the CCTV systems, vehicle tracking systems like OnStar, cell phones, IP addresses and devices like Alexa. 

Privacy is just an illusion, a thing of the past that we can tell the grand kids about.


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## RadishRose (Jan 5, 2018)

Unlike Applecruncher or Holly Dolly, I've yet to be called by a store I've been in. Yet. I haven' had my smart phone for very long, though.

Don, I suddenly feel verrry verrry small.....


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## Buckeye (Jan 5, 2018)

{shrug}  For most of us, "privacy" has always been a myth.  (Of course, if you live in BF Montana, or a similar spot, and are off the grid, you do in a fact have some privacy.)  The difference is largely that now its just not nosey neighbors and the local tradespeople, but large data aggregators, and its much more efficient.  If you are surprised by any of this, you haven't been paying attention


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## applecruncher (Jan 5, 2018)

RadishRose said:


> Unlike Applecruncher or Holly Dolly, I've yet to be called by a store I've been in. Yet. I haven' had my smart phone for very long, though.
> 
> Don, I suddenly feel verrry verrry small.....



No, I wasn't called.....it's a message on the screen, similar to a text.


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## Mike (Jan 6, 2018)

hollydolly said:


> yes I've occasionally had texts from stores after I've visited them even if I haven't bought anything... it annoys the heck outta me that they can do this...



I have had texts inviting me to give my experience
about the visit I just had in "Tesco, Marks & Spencer"
or some other store that I visited, sometimes I am asked
to do a survey, I never ever reply.

These I believe come from Google, who collect the reports
when somebody does answer, then sell them to the retailer.

I stopped allowing any site access to my location, both on
the phone and PC, since then I very rarely get any of these
requests.

Why would a company want my location I often wonder, so
they never find out where I am, at least I don't think that
they do, but then who knows.

Mike.


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## debbie in seattle (Jan 6, 2018)

ah, my life is so boring, let 'em record away.


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## kteas1 (Jan 20, 2018)

The good news is they also spy on me, and that has to put a lot of people to sleep from boredom. 

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk


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## Senex (Feb 25, 2018)

RadishRose said:


>



The bad news is yes, your pocketphone is all about spying on you, invading your privacy, and tracking your movements via GPS. Good news is you have a choice whether to be a easy target, or hard target:
https://www.privacyrights.org/consumer-guides/smartphone-privacy
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/technology/how-protect-your-privacy-your-mobile-devices.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/10-dumbest-risks-people-smartphones/story?id=18378994
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2013/03/05/dont-be-dumb-about-smartphone-privacy/


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