Google is changing how it stores Maps users’ location history. Instead of keeping it in the cloud, where it’s readily accessible to authorities through legal means like geofence warrants, the data will be stored locally on users’ devices. This means law enforcement will have a harder time obtaining it.
Why is this important?
- Privacy concerns: Many users are uncomfortable with the idea of authorities easily accessing their detailed location history. Storing it locally gives them more control over their data.
- Geofence warrants: These warrants allow law enforcement to obtain data from all devices that were in a specific area during a given time. This can lead to innocent people being swept up in investigations simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
