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1.12.11

Block Wireless Access Point from Getting Included in Google Location Server

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Location based services have become popular these days form each and every social network to mobile applications giving you ability to track your location and share it. Some of the popular uses of these are Check outs and Place Taggings.

How Does Location Based Services Work?

Location based services retrieve the location of a user from a pre compiled database known as location database, which matches publicly broadcast information about local wireless networks with their approximate geographic location. By looking for wireless access points that are close to a user’s phone, location providers can return the approximate location you need.
This method is a good alternative to other approaches, like GPS, because it’s faster, it works indoors, and it’s more battery efficient. But as everything has got a boon and bane Location Based Services claim to identify only places but not the individuals identity but considering the present situation of internet security I am happy that atleast Google understands that Privacy Protection is necessary hence they have given an option for Wireless Network users to opt out of having your wireless access point included in the Google Location Server.

How to Opt out your Wireless Access Point from Getting Included in the Google Location Server.

Step 1. Open your Access Point settings.
Step 2. Open the SSID Settings.
Step 3. Rename your SSID (Network name) to add the following after your SSID “_nomap” (without Quotes) eg. If your SSID is “mywifi” then rename it to “mywifi_nomap”.
Step 4. Save the changes and Done.
Currently this method is only supported by Google Location Server and other Location Databases will still be able to include your access point but Google hopes to make this string (_nomap) a universal one so that anyone can opt out of location servers from tracking them.
Where do you mostly use location tagging? In Social Networks and ?



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