Apps Require a Location

[simkoh]

I am wondering if anyone has a logical explanation for the most random apps needing my location? I like trying new apps from time to time and seeing the message tell me I need to allow them my location information is messed. When I say random I mean random. Things that shouldn't need my location asks me to accept or I can't install or update. This leaves me on edge and I might even switch to another OS because of this. Doesn't make sense.

 

[Dave Blake]

I'll tell first you can turn this off once the app is installed. You can kill and keep killed background apps in settings. Most all apps have settings to disable location services. Once installed when you open the app it will ask you if it can use your location. You can say no and the app will still run. Just by giving an app the okay during install, that doesn't mean the app will immediately start tracking you. No app on WP starts tracking your location before you launch the app and give it permission to do so. They are just trying to let you know before install that the listed services are the things the app might access during use. Next If you think your going to go to another OS and this will go away your kidding yourself. If you want to keep your location anonymous you have a better chance of doing that on WP than any other OS.


If you want shoot us some app names that your are worried about and we can load then and find the on off setting for you so you can load the app without worry.

and welcome to WPCentral we glad you decided to join us.

 

[Dave Blake]

Also I want to add if you just want to make sure nobody is following you just turn off location in global settings. This shuts off the GPS and AGPS services in the device and no apps will be able to locate you.

 

[Stefan Holder]

When installing from the store, as part of the process, evry app will ask for access to your location. This is not a requirement of the app per se, but that info is for the some purpose of Microsoft itself. For example, a sticky notes app doesn't need to know where you are, but MS does and wants to.

 

[manus31]

I'm doing a fair bit of research on this at the moment and I can tell you that the bigest threat to mobile security is location aware applications.location based marketing and advertising os the next big thing.companies are currently building user profiles up based on user trends.where users go.what shops they go to.what products they buy.Son we will all be targeted with adds and offers based on where we go.we could walk into a shop and literally be bombarded with texts offering us the latest products.I would be concerned about allowing an app access to my location.Its more of a problem with android though because there app stores are open to malicious apps who can track your movements and sell on data to companies.Windows store is safe as far as we know and you can turn off an apps background process in battery saver to be sure