Apple Smart Phones Accused Of Tracking Users Whereabouts
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—There's a disturbing warning for users of some popular Apple products. Your iPhone and iPad may be keeping track of everywhere you go.
Kendis Gibson explains the concerns.
It's alarming news to the millions of users of Apple iPhones and iPads. Your mobile device may be spying on your whereabouts.
"I think it's invasive," said Christina Savage, iPhone user. "It's very invasive, especially since we didn't know about it. As a user, you know, and have a choice, have a choice to opt out of it."
British researchers found iPhones that have Apple's latest software, and iPads with 3G, track everywhere a user goes. They found the devices store the longitude and latitude along with a time stamp, and that information gets duplicated on a computer every time it is synchronized.
"It's very intrusive. I wouldn't want anyone to know where I'm going, especially a boyfriend. Eek," said Emily Spencer, iPhone user.
Cell phone companies have always been able to track users' movements and locations. But having that information unencrypted and visible could make that information available to anyone who accesses that phone.
"I'd be concerned, not worried. Remember this stuff is on your iPhone, your iPad and synced to your computer," said Brian Cooley, CNET.com. "It's not out in the wild on the Internet yet."
Apple has not commented on the researchers ' findings, and hasn't revealed if the function can be disabled. Until then privacy experts warn users to keep track of who has access to your iPhones, iPads, and computers.
The researchers found other smart phones do not have the same sort of tracking function.
