XPost: misc.phone.mobile.iphone, comp.mobile.android   
   From: mariond@facts.com   
      
   Marion wrote:   
   >    Both companies still integrate location and behavioral data   
   >    into advertising systems.   
      
   FACTS:   
      
   1. Wi-Fi scanning   
      A. iOS: Always scans nearby networks even if Wi-Fi is off.   
      B. Default: ON. User control: None.   
         The only user-selectable option is disabling Location Services   
         entirely, which breaks many features.   
      C. Save: Nearby BSSIDs saved locally for positioning, no user control.   
      D. Upload: BSSIDs uploaded to Apple servers by default, no user control.   
      E. Android: Scans Wi-Fi only when Wi-Fi scanning is enabled in settings.   
      F. Default: ON. User control: Toggle at Settings > Location > Wi-Fi   
         scanning. Disables scan, save, and upload together.   
      
   2. Bluetooth scanning   
      A. iOS: Scans for beacons even if Bluetooth is "off" in Control Center.   
      B. Default: ON. User control: Must disable Bluetooth in Settings or   
         disable Location Services entirely.   
      C. Save: Beacon IDs saved locally, no user control.   
      D. Upload: Beacon IDs uploaded to Apple servers by default.   
      E. Android: Scans when Bluetooth scanning is enabled in settings.   
      F. Default: ON. User control: Toggle at Settings > Location > Bluetooth   
         scanning. Disables scan, save, and upload together.   
      
   3. Cellular towers   
      A. iOS: Tower IDs always collected for service and uploaded to Apple if   
         Location Services is on.   
      B. Default: ON. User control: None, short of disabling cellular service.   
      C. Save: Tower IDs saved locally.   
      D. Upload: Tower IDs uploaded to Apple servers.   
      E. Android: Same situation, tower IDs always collected.   
      F. Default: ON. User control: None, short of disabling cellular service.   
      G. Save: Tower IDs saved locally.   
      H. Upload: Tower IDs uploaded to Google servers.   
      
   4. GPS   
      A. iOS: GPS enabled if Location Services is on.   
      B. Default: ON. User control: Disable Location Services globally or   
         restrict per-app ("Never," "While Using," etc.).   
      C. Save: GPS fixes calculated and stored locally by the chip.   
      D. Upload: GPS coordinates are not automatically uploaded. They are   
         transmitted to Apple servers only when system services (Maps,   
         Find My, etc.) or apps request them.   
      E. Android: GPS enabled if Location is on.   
      F. Default: ON. User control: Disable Location globally or restrict   
         per-app ("Allow all the time," "While using," "Deny").   
      G. Save: GPS fixes calculated and stored locally by the chip.   
      H. Upload: GPS coordinates are not automatically uploaded. They are   
         transmitted to Google servers only when system services (Maps,   
         Find My Device, Location Accuracy, etc.) or apps request them.   
      
   5. Access point fingerprints   
      A. iOS: Nearby router BSSIDs uploaded to Apple servers.   
      B. Default: ON. User control: None if Location Services is on. Even if   
         you never use Maps, other iPhones upload your router.   
      C. Save: Fingerprints saved locally.   
      D. Upload: Fingerprints uploaded to Apple servers.   
      E. Android: Nearby router BSSIDs uploaded to Google servers.   
      F. Default: ON. User control: Disable Location Accuracy, but other   
         people's phones still upload your router.   
      G. Save: Fingerprints saved locally.   
      H. Upload: Fingerprints uploaded to Google servers.   
      
   6. Sensors (motion, compass, barometer, etc.)   
      A. iOS: Sensor data available to apps with permissions.   
      B. Default: ON. User control: Per-app permissions only,   
         there is no global toggle.   
      C. Save: Sensor data saved locally when used.   
      D. Upload: Sensor data uploaded if app/server requests.   
      E. Android: Same - sensor data available to apps with permissions.   
      F. Default: ON. User control: Per-app permissions only,   
         there is no global toggle.   
      G. Save: Sensor data saved locally when used.   
      H. Upload: Sensor data uploaded if app/server requests.   
      
   7. Bottom line   
      A. iOS: Defaults always ON for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning, saving,   
         and uploading. No granular toggles, only the nuclear option of   
         disabling Location Services.   
      B. Android: Defaults ON, but provides explicit toggles for Wi-Fi and   
         Bluetooth scanning. Users can disable scan, save, and upload while   
         keeping other location features.   
      C. Both: Cellular towers and router fingerprints are unavoidable if   
         other people's devices are in range. Neither platform gives full   
         control there.   
   --   
   The whole point of being well educated is so that you can listen to what   
   Apple & Google say they do but you're smart enough to see what they do.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)