location tracking

[Cree]

In case @a-wai stops by to drop the mic here are my two cents in regards to the Settings >Privacy >Location Services option and how I thought it would work.





Expected outcome when off: Third party apps like Maps, Weather, Firefox, Geary, Chess, 2048, Chromium, etc. No longer have access to the location of the device (which is provided by geoclue and Mozilla Location Services.)





Actuall outcome when off: Maps can still pinpoint my location within 100 metres due to settings in /etc/geoclue/geoclue.conf:

Code:

# WiFi source configuration options
[wifi]

# Enable WiFi source
enable=true

Weather (and Maps and who knows what else) can also get location from:

Code:

# Network NMEA source configuration options
[network-nmea]

# Fetch location from NMEA sources on local network?
enable=true

More likely than not they can also get location from other sources within the geoclue.conf file if connected with SIM to 3G.




Current solution: Manually change the geoclue.conf file:

Code:

# Network NMEA source configuration options
[network-nmea]

# Fetch location from NMEA sources on local network?
enable=false

# 3G source configuration options
[3g]

# Enable 3G source
enable=false

# CDMA source configuration options
[cdma]

# Enable CDMA source
enable=false

# Modem GPS source configuration options
[modem-gps]

# Enable Modem-GPS source
enable=false

# WiFi source configuration options
[wifi]

# Enable WiFi source
enable=false

------

[gnome-datetime-panel]
allowed=true
system=true
users=

[gnome-color-panel]
allowed=true
system=true
users=

[org.gnome.Shell]
allowed=true
system=true
users=

[io.elementary.desktop.agent-geoclue2]
allowed=true
system=true
users=

[epiphany]
allowed=false
system=false
users=

[firefox]
allowed=false
system=false
users=

The above code is how I run my Pinephone right now, I suppose allowing the system applications but at the same time setting all the geoclue location sources to =false in effect disables them as well but so far I havnt noticed any issues and im unaware of what else to do.




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Open quesstions to anyone with insight:





Should the Settings >Privacy >Location Services turned off option, make changes in the geoclue.conf file instead of the user doing it manually?





Is there a better way to limit third party applications from accessing device location?





Are apps like Maps and Weather not considered Third party applications?





What settings in regards to location does the location services setting actually impact if not apps like these?





Maybe apps that use geoclue / Mozilla Location Services should show as a list under > Location Services for transparancy, perhaps including system applications like Date and Time?





Is there no problem here at all and am I just carrying over paranoia from having been a windows / apple user for far too many years in the past?

I wouldnt say paranoia isnt warranted. Windows and apple did a lot to cause lasting trauma on the psyche. Also, linux can certainly be hacked too and this sort of data could compromise you if keeping your location private is of personal importance. Having said that, that's why we have the hardware kill switches. Might just want to leave a few of them off and save yourself the trouble? I do of course get that you May wish to be selective.