Uber replied today to experiences that its app continues to test users’ places even once they hadn’t used the trip-hailing service for days or even weeks. the company explained that the problem is being due to the iOS running machine itself, no longer direct monitoring by way of its app.
Many users had realized that Uber’s app perceived to have lately checked their place, in keeping with their iPhone Settings.
but Uber says this is conduct that’s being brought about by using the iOS Maps extension that Apple opened in September. It’s now not as a result of a malicious program within the Uber app neither is it a end result of the up to date region services and products replace, the corporate advised us.
the reason this difficulty used to be worrisome is because Uber announced last month that it would commence background assortment of consumer knowledge, but only for five minutes after drop-off. the info would help it support drop-off and choose-up point accuracy sooner or later, Uber had mentioned.
Some customers, in fact, had been concerned the firm could overstep here, or felt typically uncomfortable about sharing this data.
That’s not shocking, given that Uber has had a number of excessive-profile slip-united states of americaregarding user privateness prior to now, together with bad security practices round private knowledge, experiences of Uber spying on reporters’ trips, misuse of an interior monitoring tool dubbed “God View,” studies that interior workers stalked ex-girlfriends and celebs, among other things.
but, as John Gruber of DaringFireball.web referred to in a up to date publish, an iOS feature would enable customers to take a look at to see if Uber saved its phrase about limiting vicinity tracking to simply 5 minutes after the drop-off.
He explained that, in iOS’s Settings, you’re ready to track which apps are having access to your location.
beneath “Settings → privacy → location services,” a trademark appears next to apps that have lately checked your location. The indicator is pink if that check was contemporary, or gray if it was once in the closing 24 hours. He noted additionally that he had been checking this for his Uber app, however didn’t see any signs of misuse.
because it turns out, that wasn’t proper for everybody.
In a 2d put up, Gruber says many readers sent screenshots of the Uber app nonetheless checking their region, although it had been days and even weeks in view that they final used the car carrier.
Some TechCrunch newshounds right here saw the downside on their devices, too.
clearly, this appeared to be concerning conduct on Uber’s section, as it could seem to point the corporate was once not true to its word.
alternatively, Uber says the positioning monitoring shouldn’t be intentional behavior on the part of its app.
Uber investigated the problem nowadays, at our request, and found the issue is related to the iOS Maps extension. This also explains why now not everyone used to be seeing the problem.
Uber’s map extension feature was once made to be had in September, and is in line with Apple’s protocol for Map extensions. different map extensions from Uber rivals would work the same approach, then.
in line with an Uber spokesperson: “For people who make a selection to combine experience sharing apps with iOS Maps, place data must be shared so as for you to request a journey throughout the Maps app. Map extensions are disabled by default and that you could make a choice to show them on in your iOS settings,” they said.
In other phrases, it’s now not a bug, it’s characteristic. And it’s a function of iOS.
unfortunately, the way in which iOS is designed will make it tough for customers who like to regulate their apps for privateness’s sake from being able to just look at their Settings so as to see if these apps are misbehaving.
And Uber isn’t the only third-party app that’s been integrated with Apple Maps: Lyft, OpenTable and Yelp are additionally to be had.
possibly Apple needs another coloration-coded indicator in the vicinity services and products Settings to show users if it’s the app that’s having access to your region data, or if it’s the Maps extension that’s inflicting your otherwise unused app to appear as if it’s monitoring you. after all, if the feature is designed to present customers control over their own personal information, we’ll need better tools than these iOS presently offers.
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mobile – TechCrunch
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