What is Geofencing?
A technology that creates a virtual boundary around a geographic area and can trigger actions when a device enters or exits that boundary.
Geofencing is used for targeted advertising, law enforcement surveillance, and device management.
How It's Used
- Advertising: Show ads to people who visited a competitor's store
- Law enforcement: Geofence warrants request data on all devices in an area during a time window
- Employers: Track when employees enter/leave work sites
- Apps: Location-based reminders and automations
Geofence Warrants
- Google receives thousands of geofence warrants per year
- Police request data on ALL devices near a crime scene
- Innocent people get caught up in these dragnet requests
- Google announced plans to store location data on-device starting 2024
Protection
- Disable location services when not needed
- Deny location permissions to apps that don't need them
- Turn off WiFi and Bluetooth scanning in location settings
- Use a Faraday bag when you want to be truly invisible
Related Terms
IP Address
A unique numerical identifier assigned to every device connected to a computer network. Your IP address reveals your approximate geographic location and can be used to track your online activity, link your actions across websites, and identify your internet service provider.
Metadata
Data about data. In the context of communications, metadata includes information like who you contacted, when, for how long, and from where—everything except the actual content of your message. Metadata can reveal intimate details about your life even when content is encrypted.
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