Google helps police identify devices near crime scenes using location data
It's no secret that Google keeps track of you everywhere, even if you have disabled the Google location history feature.
According to a study by the Associated Press in 2018, Google applications such as Maps or Weather on Android allow the company to continuously collect your geolocation.
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According to Google, the company uses location tracking features to improve the performance of its applications for users. Here is a partial list of reasons for collecting geolocation:
In addition, Google may transfer your location information to federal authorities during criminal investigations, after a formal request.
Google database "SensorVault" helps police solve crimes
Not many people know that Google helps federal authorities identify suspected criminals by giving them a history of the location of all devices that passed through crime scenes for a certain period of time.
It should be noted that Google does not share complete information on all devices at once; instead, anonymized data is provided and the police first analyzes the location history of all devices and narrows the results of the query to several devices, and only then does Google provide all the device information including the device name, email addresses and other personal data.
In the new report The New York Times reported that for almost 10 years, Google maintains a database, with the internal name Sensorvault. The database contains detailed records of the location of hundreds of millions of devices around the world. Information from the database can be obtained after a formal request during the investigation of crimes.
According to several (anonymous) insiders from Google, the number of queries to the Google Sensorvault database has increased dramatically over the past six months, and the company receives up to 180 queries in one week.
How do law enforcement agencies use the Google SensorVault database?
To obtain location data, law enforcement agencies must obtain a so-called geolocation warrant (“geofence warrant”).
Google transmits location data when required by law as follows:
The NYT report explained the whole process on a case in which federal agents requested location data to investigate a series of explosions around Austin, Texas.
Federal agents used this technique for the first time in 2016. To date, this technique is used in local US police departments.
Although technology has proven its effectiveness, it is not a reliable way to get information about a crime. Some of the cases noted in the New York Times report showed how the police used this data to charge innocent people. One person was imprisoned for a week last year during a murder investigation after he was registered near the murder site, and then released after investigators found and arrested another suspect.
Not surprisingly, law enforcement agencies seek help from technology giants like Google during criminal investigations, but the use of location history databases such as Sensorvault is a matter of concern. Concern about the privacy of users, about data collection, about an innocent person who can be detained due to the fact that he just walked in the wrong place at the wrong time.
According to a study by the Associated Press in 2018, Google applications such as Maps or Weather on Android allow the company to continuously collect your geolocation.
')
According to Google, the company uses location tracking features to improve the performance of its applications for users. Here is a partial list of reasons for collecting geolocation:
- Personalized cards
- Recommendations based on the places you visited
- Help in finding a phone
- Real-time traffic updates
- More targeted advertising
In addition, Google may transfer your location information to federal authorities during criminal investigations, after a formal request.
Google database "SensorVault" helps police solve crimes
Not many people know that Google helps federal authorities identify suspected criminals by giving them a history of the location of all devices that passed through crime scenes for a certain period of time.
It should be noted that Google does not share complete information on all devices at once; instead, anonymized data is provided and the police first analyzes the location history of all devices and narrows the results of the query to several devices, and only then does Google provide all the device information including the device name, email addresses and other personal data.
In the new report The New York Times reported that for almost 10 years, Google maintains a database, with the internal name Sensorvault. The database contains detailed records of the location of hundreds of millions of devices around the world. Information from the database can be obtained after a formal request during the investigation of crimes.
According to several (anonymous) insiders from Google, the number of queries to the Google Sensorvault database has increased dramatically over the past six months, and the company receives up to 180 queries in one week.
How do law enforcement agencies use the Google SensorVault database?
To obtain location data, law enforcement agencies must obtain a so-called geolocation warrant (“geofence warrant”).
Google transmits location data when required by law as follows:
- The authorities turned to Google with a warrant for geolocation in search of smartphones, which Google recorded at the crime scene
- After receiving the order, Google collects location information from its Sensorvault database and sends it to investigators, each device identified by an anonymous identification code, rather than the actual device identifier
- The investigators then analyze the data, look for patterns and patterns of movement to see if the devices are related to crime. Also, investigators are requesting additional device data from Google in order to see the movement of a specific device outside the original area
- When investigators narrow down the results to several devices that they believe may belong to suspects or witnesses, Google reveals the real name, email address, and other data associated with the devices.
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The NYT report explained the whole process on a case in which federal agents requested location data to investigate a series of explosions around Austin, Texas.
Federal agents used this technique for the first time in 2016. To date, this technique is used in local US police departments.
Although technology has proven its effectiveness, it is not a reliable way to get information about a crime. Some of the cases noted in the New York Times report showed how the police used this data to charge innocent people. One person was imprisoned for a week last year during a murder investigation after he was registered near the murder site, and then released after investigators found and arrested another suspect.
Not surprisingly, law enforcement agencies seek help from technology giants like Google during criminal investigations, but the use of location history databases such as Sensorvault is a matter of concern. Concern about the privacy of users, about data collection, about an innocent person who can be detained due to the fact that he just walked in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/448562/
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