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Microsoft getting sued over location tracking features in Windows Phone

Microsoft getting sued over location tracking features in Windows Phone

Posted: 01 Sep 2011, 08:10, by Nick T.

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Microsoft getting sued over location tracking features in Windows Phone

Earlier this year, Apple got involved in a noisy location tracking scandal that caused unrest among the crowds of iPhone and iPad users. Fortunately for the company, the dust settled rather quickly, and the financial damage that Cupertino took was of negligible proportions.

Now, however, another industry giant is being accused of violating users' privacy. According to the accusations, Microsoft is collecting users' location data through its Windows Phone platform without making the user aware of that in advance. Allegedly, GPS coordinates are being logged onto Windows Phone devices while the camera is turned on even when the feature has been switched off by the user. Microsoft has declined to comment after the case was filed, yet an official statement is expected to be made soon.

Unfortunately, it is unclear what evidence will be used against Microsoft during the case and how exactly it was obtained. Still, even if the accusations turn out to be valid, we doubt that the company will be hit too hard. After all, Apple got away with fines totaling only several thousand dollars after the location tracking scandal that it got involved in was over.

source: Guardian

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1. iKingTrust (banned) posted on 01 Sep 2011, 08:17 0 0

Dam. What do you people have to hide that this is a big issue?

2. greed (unregistered) posted on 01 Sep 2011, 08:17 1 0

Why do these big companies have to track where we're going all the time, BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!!!

3. hepresearch (unregistered) posted on 01 Sep 2011, 09:26 1 0

Haha, yeah right... BIG BROTHER! What nonsense... wait a minute, my WP7 device is automatically connecting to a WiFi access point I didn't know existed... hmmm... who the heck is "Baron von Rothschild"? And why is my phone pushing GPS data to "his" access point? Well that's funny, why is this black panel van with tinted windows pulling into my driveway? And who in their right mind wears a black suit in the middle of summer...... (static)

j/k LOL!

4. remixfa posted on 01 Sep 2011, 09:57 1 0

its a privacy concern. if you care if your being tracked or not, it should always be a choice, not forced. hopefully its just a bug and not a "feature" like it is on iOS. Otherwise, naughty naughty, microsoft.

5. hepresearch (unregistered) posted on 01 Sep 2011, 10:58 0 0

They are all being naughty... those naughty OEM's and OS programmers! If it cannot be sold as a "feature", then they will hide it under as many layers of code as they can...

6. remyrz posted on 01 Sep 2011, 11:24 0 0

the observer... is always watching

7. 530gemini posted on 01 Sep 2011, 13:49 0 0

Where did all the android fanboys go? How come they're not here. Oh, this is not about Apple, so they don't care :)

It only becomes a major concern for them when it's about Apple.

8. jbash posted on 01 Sep 2011, 16:22 0 0

lol, they are here, but this subject is like beating a dead horse

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Samsung Galaxy S4
- Announced: 14 Mar 2013
- OS: Android 4.2.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1900 MHz, Krait 300, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 13 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
Apple iPhone 5
- Announced: 12 Sep 2012
- OS: iOS
- Hardware: Dual core, 1300 MHz, Apple Swift, 1016 MB RAM
- Display: 4.0 inches, 640 x 1136 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900), CDMA (800 1700/2100 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS EV-DO Rev.A EV-DO Rev.B
Samsung GALAXY Note II
- Announced: 29 Aug 2012
- OS: Android 4.1.2 4.1.1
- Hardware: Quad core, 1600 MHz, ARM Cortex-A9, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 5.5 inches, 720 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 35 hours of Talk Time, 980 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 21.1 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
HTC One
- Announced: 19 Feb 2013
- OS: Android 4.1.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1700 MHz, Krait 300, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 4.7 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 4 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900), CDMA (800 1900)
- Data: LTE HSPA (unspecified) UMTS EDGE GPRS
Sony Xperia Z
- Announced: 07 Jan 2013
- OS: Android 4.1.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 13.1 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 11 hours of Talk Time, 550 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
Google Nexus 4
- Announced: 29 Oct 2012
- OS: Android 4.2.2 4.2.1 4.2
- Hardware: Quad core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 4.7 inches, 768 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 15.3 hours of Talk Time, 390 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS
LG Optimus G
- Announced: 28 Aug 2012
- OS: Android 4.1.2 4.0.4
- Hardware: Quad core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 2048 MB RAM
- Display: 4.7 inches, 768 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 13 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 15 hours of Talk Time, 335 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE HSPA (unspecified) UMTS EDGE GPRS
Nokia Lumia 920
- Announced: 05 Sep 2012
- OS: Windows Phone 8
- Hardware: Dual core, 1500 MHz, Krait, 1024 MB RAM
- Display: 4.5 inches, 768 x 1280 pixels, Capacitive Touchscreen
- Camera 8.7 megapixels, 1920x1080 (1080p HD) video
- Battery: 17 hours of Talk Time, 400 hours of Stand-by
- Technology: GSM (850 900 1800 1900)
- Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s UMTS EDGE GPRS

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Microsoft getting sued over location tracking features in Windows Phone

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8 Comments Follow Following

1. iKingTrust (banned) posted on 01 Sep 2011, 08:17 0 0

2. greed (unregistered) posted on 01 Sep 2011, 08:17 1 0

3. hepresearch (unregistered) posted on 01 Sep 2011, 09:26 1 0

4. remixfa posted on 01 Sep 2011, 09:57 1 0

5. hepresearch (unregistered) posted on 01 Sep 2011, 10:58 0 0

6. remyrz posted on 01 Sep 2011, 11:24 0 0

7. 530gemini posted on 01 Sep 2011, 13:49 0 0

8. jbash posted on 01 Sep 2011, 16:22 0 0

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