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Started By
Message
Why is location tracking on apps routinely so far off?
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:38 pm
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:38 pm
I routinely go into my phone apps for places like lowes, Home depot, etc and my location is in New Jersey, Texas, etc. I haven't been to those states in years. With all the AI and tracking, I don't understand how these are consistently off when I generally go to the same store every time?
16
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:39 pm to baldona
This doesn't happen to me. Maybe it's you?
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:40 pm to baldona
Same, when I go to Petsmart app it always shows locations in Dallas. I live in Baton Rouge.
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:40 pm to baldona
My Home Depot app always says I'm in New Jersey. I don't get it either.
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:41 pm to baldona
probably because you havent allowed location tracking in the app so it is defaulting to where the IP originates.
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:46 pm to baldona
OP is looking for some plausible deniability to tell his wife why his location is at his side piece.
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:50 pm to baldona
quote:
Why is location tracking on apps routinely so far off?
This never happens with my android
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:53 pm to baldona
I noticed this a while back on my phone. The first time was when I was on vacation and needed the closest Regions bank location and my phone was showing I was somewhere in South Carolina. Of course this freaked me out so I called the bank wondering if my account had been hacked or something. There were no unauthorized charges and all the money was still there. The bank was less than helpful.
Another time I noticed it was showing my location in Atlanta and I was sitting in my living room two hours west. I have a good friend who is in the telecommunications industry and I talked to him about it. He told me that I probably hadn't allowed location settings in some apps and that when that happens, it defaults to wherever the last server that your info is located. Not sure how good I have explained that, and he could be full of shite just because he didn't want to explain it in depth to me because of my tech ignorance.
So the way I understood it, wherever the last server was located before being sent to your phone is set as your location from whatever app you're trying to use in some cases where you haven't allowed that app to access your location. Could be way off but that's what I was told and haven't had any suspicious activity with any of my personal information or anything.
Another time I noticed it was showing my location in Atlanta and I was sitting in my living room two hours west. I have a good friend who is in the telecommunications industry and I talked to him about it. He told me that I probably hadn't allowed location settings in some apps and that when that happens, it defaults to wherever the last server that your info is located. Not sure how good I have explained that, and he could be full of shite just because he didn't want to explain it in depth to me because of my tech ignorance.
So the way I understood it, wherever the last server was located before being sent to your phone is set as your location from whatever app you're trying to use in some cases where you haven't allowed that app to access your location. Could be way off but that's what I was told and haven't had any suspicious activity with any of my personal information or anything.
Posted on 6/6/24 at 12:54 pm to MRTigerFan
There are multiple versions of you and technology gets confused. It's the only explanation
Posted on 6/6/24 at 1:06 pm to diat150
quote:
probably because you havent allowed location tracking in the app so it is defaulting to where the IP originates.
Generally speaking, I don't. But I use the same Lowe's and Home depot by my house probably 2-3 times each a week and pretty much every single time my location is somewhere else. Its not like I'm in the next store over, i'm many states over.
I would have expected the default to be the last store I visited?
Posted on 6/6/24 at 1:14 pm to Styxion
quote:
My Home Depot app always says I'm in New Jersey. I don't get it either.
I'm in Miami when I should be in Covington.
Posted on 6/6/24 at 1:14 pm to sidewalkside
quote:
OP is looking for some plausible deniability to tell his wife why his location is at his side piece.
Smart.
Posted on 6/6/24 at 1:28 pm to baldona
quote:
probably because you havent allowed location tracking in the app
quote:
Generally speaking, I don't
So you disabled the gps location tracking and now you're wondering why your gps tracking isn't accurate?
Posted on 6/6/24 at 1:33 pm to MRTigerFan
quote:
So you disabled the gps location tracking and now you're wondering why your gps tracking isn't accurate?
Yes Sherlock. Except for the fact that I log into that store location every time I'm in the store to locate items.
Then, this is going to be really crazy for you to understand, I return to the exact same store that same day and it puts me in New Jersey.
If location tracking was completely disabled why does it think I'm in a specific New Jersey or Texas store?
Why would the default not be to use the last store location I was in, as opposed to a random store?
ETA; You realize that location tracking is real time, and that if it defaulted to a location I actually was located in previously that would be different?
This post was edited on 6/6/24 at 1:35 pm
Posted on 6/6/24 at 1:39 pm to baldona
quote:
I routinely go into my phone apps for places like lowes, Home depot, etc and my location is in New Jersey, Texas, etc. I haven't been to those states in years. With all the AI and tracking, I don't understand how these are consistently off when I generally go to the same store every time?
Did your wife tell you that she was going to the gym, but her phone pinged in a neighborhood on the other side of the tracks?
Posted on 6/6/24 at 1:43 pm to baldona
Ok calm down boomer. When I use the home Depot or Walmart apps I can set "my store" and it always defaults to that store unless I change it.
Try that and if it doesn't work then ask one of your grandkids to help you
Try that and if it doesn't work then ask one of your grandkids to help you
Posted on 6/6/24 at 1:45 pm to UPT
It isn't just your phone. Many of the apps you use are just a glorified mobile version of the company website. I was searching on a laptop at Home Depot the other day, and it suggested a store about 20 miles away, but still in the metro area of Birmingham. I'm guessing it has something to do with our company's internet provider and location sharing. I switched it to the one nearest me, and just checked again today and it puts me back in Trussville instead of Hoover.
Posted on 6/6/24 at 2:04 pm to baldona
My phone also puts me in Texas. Even looking up local events on Fb, it places me in TX.
Posted on 6/6/24 at 2:15 pm to baldona
Who you stalking, weirdo?
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