Techlore Surveillance Report

Dating Apps Can Give Stalkers Your EXACT LOCATION!

12 snips
Aug 6, 2024
Dating apps might be revealing users' exact locations, raising alarm bells about safety and privacy. Recent breaches have exposed sensitive health and voter data, emphasizing the need for caution in sharing personal info. The discontinuation of a popular two-factor authentication app is also discussed, alongside a marked rise in passkey adoption. Legislation aimed at protecting children's online privacy is making headway, while new developments in tech continue to highlight concerning trends in data security.
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INSIGHT

Location Filters Can Reveal Exact Coordinates

  • Dating apps can leak precise user coordinates via features that use exact locations for filters.
  • Researchers used repeated filter adjustments (oracle trilateration) to pinpoint users within ~2 meters until apps rounded coordinates to fix it.
ADVICE

Restrict Precise Location Permissions

  • Avoid giving apps precise location permissions when not required by the service.
  • Share a general town instead of your exact address and limit continuous location sharing after matching.
ADVICE

Limit Continuous Location Visibility

  • Consider how continuous location visibility to matches can reveal patterns and empty homes.
  • Stop apps from tracking your movements if you want to avoid exposing when you’re out of town.
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