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Thanks to developer Ryan Petrich, you can now neuter your iPhone location tracking.
Not sure what this is about? CNN and other news sites have been going on the last day about the fact that location services stores your location history in a database on your device called consolidated.db. The news sites makes a big fuss about this and has gotten everyone all up in arms over privacy issues. (My opinion is that this is all silly since the info is stored only on your personal device and computer and not sent to apple or anyone else, therefore, it’s no more a violation of your privacy as storing your contacts info on your device and computer. No information is being sent to Apple or anyone else. This is no violation of your privacy. Silly.) Nonetheless, people are upset over it since the news made a fuss, so the jailbreak community provides you a fix for it.
Now, understand what this is. In its current state, this is a process daemon that runs every 30 seconds every 5 minutes if the device is not asleep and clears the location data off your device. Search for untracker in cydia and install it.
April 21st, 2011 at 4:20 am
I have searched my mac for the consolidated.db file and it does not show up. I have a Verizon Iphone 4.
April 21st, 2011 at 5:16 am
It’s on the iPhone: /private/var/root/Library/Caches/locationd
April 21st, 2011 at 9:01 am
why not set an option to have it reset the database every 12 hours or even 1 day? 30 mins seems too often
April 21st, 2011 at 9:18 am
It’s a real concern, not just silly, as a large fraction of PC’s are compromised by malware, this iPhone “feature” gives some truly shady characters access to your patterns of movement.
April 21st, 2011 at 9:41 am
Is there some cleaner solution ? Disabling deamon, change acces permitions, symlink linking to some “hole” ? Thx
April 21st, 2011 at 10:19 am
By same logic, your sms log, call log, notes database, and contacts (also all backed up to your “compromised pc”) have been available for 4 years. I guess CNN should make a huge fuss over that so everyone can delete contacts, sms, and all other useful features of the device until it does nothing but make calls. Sorry, this is silly.
April 21st, 2011 at 1:42 pm
I fully agree, I don’t understand the big fuss about this. I actually promote the idea due to the amount of criminals out there, get the warrant – get the information.
April 21st, 2011 at 3:49 pm
OR RECOVER THE LOST/STOLEN PHONE!
April 21st, 2011 at 5:29 pm
How do you gain access to the iphone files then? I have a mac so…
April 21st, 2011 at 6:11 pm
A big concern would be if the phone records were subpoenaed in a divorce lawsuit
April 21st, 2011 at 7:04 pm
sms/call log, notes, contacts are stored WITH your knowledge and permission. that’s the difference. i really like iphone, but that doesn’t mean i must justify EVERYTHING they do wrong. and that was (at least) bad manners.
April 21st, 2011 at 7:06 pm
Who cares if I’m being tracked. Come on and follow me home criminals. And make sure your life insurance is paid up because you won’t be leaving my house walking.
April 21st, 2011 at 8:32 pm
This does show a lax standard of security on apples part. If you don’t care about being tracked, good for you. Some people don’t want to be, and they should have the right to know if they are and why. I mean why not have apple access your camera and spy on you, so they can better target you for ads. Because I’m a human being dammit and I might want privacy.
April 21st, 2011 at 8:39 pm
Furthermore I understand that this data isn’t being transmitted, I’m just trying to make a point about privacy.
April 21st, 2011 at 9:45 pm
I agree with bullshits comments. It is a violation of my personal priviacy! Just like the patriot act! People who say this it only to track criminals are nieieve! Law wants to know everything about you, let’s not give up our rights people!
April 21st, 2011 at 9:52 pm
My understanding is the file is also part of the sync information that is in your library. I can’t get the iPhone Tracker program to find consolidated.db.
April 21st, 2011 at 11:11 pm
No, no don’t be alarmed everything is fine. Corporation have your best interests. They are our friends. Better living through technology. They come in peace. Please remain calm. The authorities will be with you soon.
April 22nd, 2011 at 12:57 am
It is a big deal, since the location data is being collected whether or not location services are turned on, and it’s even a bigger deal because there is no opt in or opt out of this data collection. And finally, it’s an even bigger bigger deal because Apple’s previous response to Congressional inquiries was that the data is only collected if a customer opts-in.
Whether or not Apple is using the data isn’t the issue. The issue is that the iPhone is collecting the data without your consent, and Apple LIED to CONGRESS!!
You should realize that all these so-called little things that we let slide roll up into a big nice ball of user identifiable data, that could be used by anyone who takes the steps to obtain it (whether a criminal or a cop) to be used in what ever way they want to.
To those who say “if you aren’t doing anything wrong, you don’t have anything to worry about”, consider what might be considered wrong – your politics, your religion, etc…
Also, this has been used for “gang stalking” and still is – destroying lives.
April 22nd, 2011 at 2:40 am
If it is not transmitted or used for anything, why is it being collected?
April 22nd, 2011 at 2:41 am
Use ifile, search it in Cydia
April 22nd, 2011 at 5:07 am
What I really need is for this background app to check in to all my social checkins for me. I mean, it knows when I’ve slowed down, right? Why can’t it automatically update Ditto, 4square, facebook, Yelp, Gowalla, and Latitudes, and perform the Scavenger tasks? Now *that* would be handy!
April 22nd, 2011 at 12:33 pm
big boss, ryan p thanks for this.
Is it possible to create an app that when started it clears the data and then closes on user request instead of a daemon?
thanks
April 22nd, 2011 at 1:58 pm
I agree with Ahole’s post. Just ask yourself this: “Do I want someone right behind me everywhere I go?” This is right up there with Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. This just shows that maybe there is a plot to make us all brainless drones who do what we are told, like sheep following the shepherds. Maybe all those crackpot conspiracy theorists are right…
April 22nd, 2011 at 4:15 pm
just delete the file yourself using ifile
April 22nd, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Police now have tools to pull information from your iPhone / devices if it is using tracking logs already…
my concerns are for all the military folks who carry a iPhone, Android or Smart Phone… we surely do not want this information to get into the hands of the wrong people.
April 23rd, 2011 at 1:15 am
@Mes
I did that search and found no such file on my iphone. I use iFile as well and when I click on “Caches”, there’s nothing in that file. It’s empty.
April 23rd, 2011 at 7:31 am
Yeah go pick up an package off cydia called ‘untrackerd’.
It cleans the consolidated.db file frequently. It’s actually a daemon, not an app, so you don’t even have to run anything.
April 23rd, 2011 at 9:13 am
The reason this is a bother to some people is because it runs counter to our understanding of our control over ourselves and our lives. It is my understanding that Apple put options in the iPhone such as Clear History, Cache, and Cookies because it has been the culture of the internet historically that you have control over your actions, data, and choice of exposure. If those buttons don’t imply that Apple understands that you might want to clear your cookies why give you the button? Why not just remove the users choice altogether? Who knows whether this information is sent to Apple or not? Maybe they encrypt the data and it’s sent during times of expected network activity. Maybe the coding mistake if any was that they forgot to encrypt this file thus leaving it open to discovery.
April 23rd, 2011 at 9:15 am
And yes I know we aren’t talking about cookies here. You have to understand the larger point.
April 23rd, 2011 at 9:31 am
Agreed. And for those of your that think this is paranoid and you imply that you don’t care about Apple’s activities on your iPhone – why are you here on this site and why did you (by being here) most likely jailbreak your iPhone? Think about it.
April 25th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
“sms/call log, notes, contacts are stored WITH your knowledge and permission. that’s the difference.”
EXACTLY!
April 26th, 2011 at 5:46 am
Cant you feel someone watching you? Right out of the twilight zone. This technology and peeps constant use of ATMs gives the human brain as a last frontier a run for its money. . .
April 26th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
Which is why I clear all those out (that are within my control) after every conversation.
April 26th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
All good points. All tracking should be opt in regardless of the environment.
April 26th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
“To Serve Man”
April 26th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Research the legal term “Prior Restraint”. Then look up the various issues about Self-incrimination. As long as the IOS, Android, and other OSs collect this info without an OPT IN feature, it’s a black box that can be used against you when you least expect it. The trend to demonize activities, legislate against them, then go after those who were acting legally prior to the passage of the new law is very real and very present.
April 26th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
ok
this is stupid
is it me or are all of u hyped up over nothng?
if the info stays on r comp and doesnt go to apple then where is the privacy violation? where is all the “human rights!” shittalk? what the f*** is wrong with u people?
now if it did go to apple than that would be something else entirly. who knows what those bastards can do with that type of info. in that case i would happily walk up to the nearest apple store and beat the stars out of them. snoopy shitheads…
April 28th, 2011 at 2:50 am
The info IS going to Apple. tp://on.wsj.com/ewf5PT
April 28th, 2011 at 1:26 pm
Deeper than that is it runs counter to the principles on which the US gov’t was founded. The People aren’t meant to be subjects to the gov’t. It’s the other way around. Catching even 1 innocent in a net created to make gov’t entities’ jobs easier to nab the criminal is unacceptable.
April 28th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
The info is there. Exploits of these OSs in the wild are common. Their “collection” is therefore possible. Add to that the documented downloading of all cell phone/laptop/etc. data by Mich. and other police (often without warrants, RS, or PC) and you have a very real and present violation of privacy expectations.
April 29th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
I’m hearing rumors there is an update soon to get rid of this issue
April 30th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Agreed, it’s better policy all around and everyone is happy. Besides, in the end its only the veil of secrecy(real or perceived) that get people all worked up over nothing.
May 1st, 2011 at 1:37 pm
Haha
May 2nd, 2011 at 12:05 pm
I need help and I don’t know where to
Begin……a friend jailbroke my phone for me and I am just ready for this noise to stop
May 3rd, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Most of the information is already on bigboss jailbreak chart. Is there a specific issue. Because that is a little to general to give a good answer to ure problem. If it’s making noise maybe restore and try jailbreaking again. If that doesn’t work go to apple and hope it’s still under warranty. If this is not the issue u need to be more specific.
June 3rd, 2011 at 8:34 am
help for setting cydia my ipHone
August 16th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Here I had an idea, or it is possible to create iPhone Tweeks download complite sound, it’s finally download the alarm sounds
September 25th, 2011 at 9:29 am
If you get arrested, the first thing the police will check is this file without having to contact your network operator to get the data.
September 27th, 2011 at 6:37 am
sds
October 16th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
Yy