Secret Google Map Tracks Your Movements All The Time

Above, this is what the Google Location History looks like.

A few years ago, a vindictive ex accused me of stalking her. She even filed a restraining order against me. In a way, it was amusing because I was actually avoiding her. If anyone was stalking, it was her and her "flying monkeys".

Since I was a California resident at the time and the state has a red flag law, I had to turn in my firearms according to the restraining order. 

Fortunately, I had evidence that her claims were totally bogus and was able to successfully defend myself in court and get my firearms back. One of the most helpful pieces of evidence in my favor was the Google Location History feature of my cell phone.

With that, I was able to prove that I was nowhere near her on the dates and times she stated in her restraining order petition. 

This was one case where the Google Location History came in quite handy. Prior to this, I had no idea my phone had this feature. 

But, there are some who feel that having one's movements being secretly tracked is unnerving (to say the least). If so, it can be turned off.

According to The Hill:

A hidden Google feature has tracked your location for years.

Google’s Location History feature, an account-wide service which logs your movements through your smartphone, has stored the real-world comings and goings of millions of users since it was introduced in 2009.

While the knowledge that your movements are being monitored by one of the world’s largest tech companies may be unsettling, it’s not likely that it's being done to further some nefarious agenda, and Location History was designed to be helpful.

Google says it can provide a better service if it knows where you’ve been, giving you more detailed commute advice, recommendations based on places you’ve visited, and more relevant advertisements.  

Still, if this news makes you want to rush to turn Google Location History off, you’re not alone, and there are some major privacy risks to having your location data stored online. That’s why Google has said its Location History feature is switched off by default and can only be activated with a user’s permission.

 To read more, go here.