Google’s covert location tracking apparently costs users 1GB of data per month

• The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) was looking into the influence of Facebook and Google in the advertising market
• A presentation by Oracle showed evidence of location data harvesting by the search giant.
  
• Around 1GB of data is being sent back to Google each month.

Google has been accused of allegedly harvesting large amounts of data from Android devices, including information on the location of users. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is investigating accusations levelled against the tech giant but experts from Oracle claim that this exercise by Google costs users around 1GB of data each month.

Oracle, one of the biggest computer software companies in the world, has said that even if devices are switched to Aeroplane mode or Google Maps is disabled, consumer data is still being consumed to send location data. What’s more, even removing the SIM card doesn’t stop the data from going through.

It’s only once the phone is switched off that Google stops tracking the device, according to experts. Oracle claims that Google can go so far as to determine the floor on which users are shopping when in a mall, using barometric pressure readings.

The issue isn’t limited to the 10 million Android users in Australia but extends to their service providers as well, who are reportedly being paid to send this data forward.

With Facebook and Google repeatedly in the news for privacy and security concerns, the ACCC was looking into them after several reported concerns by Australian media companies about the impact that Google and Facebook have on the advertising market. This is when Oracle was called in to make a presentation to the ACCC, with respect to the inquiry into digital platforms.

Their presentation showed that Google has mapped IP addresses, mobile towers and WiFi connection points. While Google says that tracking data only comes under their purview with the permission of smartphone users, ‘valid’ consent is what the ACCC is questioning.

In light of recent events, Rod Sims, Chairman of the ACCC, stated, “Their (Facebook and Google) initial approach is to ignore any potential breaches of privacy and, as we have now seen, when people notice, their approach is to ask for forgiveness.”