Google's Waze is tracking user data and trading it with the government

Waze data tracked

Why Google's Waze Is Trading User Data With Local Governments

What may be especially tantalizing for planners is the super-accurate read Waze gets on exactly where drivers are going, by pinging their phones’ GPS once every second. The app can tell how fast a driver is moving and even get a complete record of their driving history, according to Waze spokesperson Julie Mossler. (UPDATE: Since this story was first published Waze has asked to clarify that it separates users’ names and their 30-day driving info. The driving history is categorized under an alias.)

This passively-tracked data “is not something we share,” she adds. Waze, which Google bought last year for $1.3 billion, can turn the data spigots on and off through its application programing interface (API).

Not that I care much about the privacy paranoia that is growing around people, but I guess that this data that Apps like Waze is collecting from it's users could be used in an evil way too. If some government demands it, or even secretly without us knowing. Interesting, and personally I haven't thought of this really.

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