Whether you go to a hotel or a hospital, your daily visits, the number of people you meet, and the size of your household—all this information can now be exposed to others. Sometimes, this information can also be used to arrest you digitally. All this can be detected thanks to GPS. Often, when you download an app on your smartphone, you have to allow your location. However, research by the Computer Science team of IIT Delhi has shown that as soon as you turn on Location, the sensors of your Android phone start recording not only your location but also many of your activities.
IIT Delhi Research
Professor Dr. Smriti R. of IIT Delhi. Sarangi says that GPS location records not only your location but also your activities, which can be misused by many organizations. Research by IIT Delhi has shown that several GPS parameters can predict how you stand, how you lie down and what area you are in. Additionally, you are in a crowded place or how large an area you live in. Sensors can also understand privacy, such as transactions on the network. Your daily travel information can be obtained from your digital signature. IIT Delhi conducted this research on a large scale by spending a year with a team of researchers. The conclusion was that GPS could detect human activity with 87% accuracy.
In this way GPS can provide accurate information
Professor Smriti Ranjan Sarangi explains that GPS usually requires four satellites to determine a location, but that changes in the speed of light can sometimes misrepresent the location. So, now the app uses 10-12 satellites to provide accurate location. However, there may be a difference of twenty to thirty meters. Therefore, now each satellite sends information based on 32 parameters. This information is then processed and sent to the app. Professor Sarangi explains that the satellite’s electromagnetic signal bounces off space, making different types of mapping possible. It can determine with 80-99% accuracy whether you live in a big or small house, whether you are at a railway station or an airport, and how many people are sitting with you. If you have your phone with you, the app can even show you the layout of your entire home.
To avoid this, do the following:
Select the “App only” option. Second, periodically make sure that no apps are running in the background. It has often been seen that you are discussing a purchase with your friends, and after some time, an advertisement for the same item appears. Professor Sarangi says this happens because there is an app running in the background that allows you to use the microwave. Third, don’t forget to turn off location tracking after using the app. Also, keep your mobile outside while going to any sensitive place. Keep apps to minimum in your mobile and close them when not needed because sometimes someone can arrest you digitally with all your information.
