• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Google

Google Is Tracking Your Location—Even Without Your Permission, Report Says

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 13, 2018, 10:52 AM ET

Google is tracking your location—even if you wish it wouldn’t.

The Associated Press discovered that even after you turn off location tracking in Google apps running on Android devices and iPhones, the tech giant will still track your location. The AP asked security researchers to evaluate its findings and those experts said that Google is indeed tracking locations after you request it doesn’t.

In one example, the AP found that Google will take “a snapshot” of your location when you open its Google Maps app, even if you have location tracking turned off. When you search in Google for innocuous topics, like “kids science kits,” Google can accurately determine your location up to a square foot of space, according to the report.

Interestingly, Google isn’t skirting its tracking. In a statement to the AP, in fact, the company said that it tracks location in a variety of ways, including via “Location History, Web and App Activity, and through device-level Location Services.” Google added that it’s clear in how the features work and allows you to delete your location history “at any time.”

The implications, of course, are potentially major. AP’s findings suggest that when you tell Google to turn off location tracking, it’s only stopping the display of location markers in your apps. But when you access one of its many services, it knows where you are and catalogs that.

There would appear to be a privacy concern there, considering some people might not like to know that their every movement is being tracked by a gigantic tech company. It also becomes onerous when Google uses the location history you don’t want to share to identify your location and deliver better advertising opportunities for companies that want to target people around a particular area.

Ultimately, it’s unclear whether Google will do anything about this finding from the AP.

Google did not immediately respond to a Fortune request for comment.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.