RunningWithBulls.com - The curse of Sanfermin

This is ridiculous. Mobile operators sell (or at least give access to) subscribers data to third parties on the grounds of giving location based services to “protect” children.

Firstly the details about this service. Top Security, a security firm that offers physical security guards, and recently IT security are to release a service using mobile phones “that will allow parents to pinpoint their children’s whereabouts at any time.” [NB: Link from Irish Times subscription required.]

Overlooking the obvious marketing talk from the company, saying that the service could offer parents “peace of mind in knowing where their children are without bothering them with telephone calls”, this service needs to be stopped. Maybe introduced in a different manner, but definately stopped in its current form.

Why? Well for a number of reasons:

1. Simple question, but why can the parent not just telephone the teenager/child? The operator gets call traffic, and therefore revenue. No sensitive information gets shared (as the service does not exist), and the parent still knows that the teenager is “safe”, as they have had verbal recognition.

2. What assurance does the user have that the information will be stored securely?
This service surely goes against Data Protection Commission. As the DRI mention, “There are protections in place precisely to prevent personal private data being sold for third party profit in this way.”

3. Why can the mobile operator not offer this service itself? Therefore the information is kept inhouse, and the chances of sensitive information beng leaked is decreased.

4. “Using a password supplied by the security company, a parent will be able to log on to a website and find their child’s phone on a map to within metres of the phone’s location.”

Apart from relying on a simple password, anyone with access to this password will be able see where the child is located. Does anyone not find that slightly concerning?

5. “Any such surveillance service would require the parents to inform the child that they were to be monitored.”

And what if the child said no? They are laws for selling services/advertisments to children established already. What about this?

6. “However, unlike the regular parental text message or phone calls, the child will not know when or how often a parent checks their whereabouts.”

I can see a wonderful opportunity underhanded use of this service if it is established like this. If the parent tells the child about this service, and the child knows, why not tell the child when the parent is checking up on them. This is underhanded.

7. Giving a phone to a friend, leaving it on the bus or turning off the handset would all frustrate any possible parental spying. However, given the lifeline status of a phone in most teenagers’ worlds, the option of the off switch is considered unlikely.

Just as unlikelt as the SMS service was to be used by anyone.

I can forsee something like this: the child’s parents signup for the service, add the childs telephone number to the service. The child then goes out and buys a Meteor SIM with EUR40 credit and uses it with their mates.

Children will not like this service. Neither will the people who will be stalked by, well anyone who gets access to this service.

Reading this article “How I stalked my girlfriend”, gives a scary outlook. As this journalist explained quite easily, all it requires it 5 minutes to set it up.

The Data Protection Commissioner should contact the operators to find out what the operators are making from this. Selling someones information is alot easier than setting this up themselves.

The only good thing to come of this so far is that Digital Rights Ireland was onto this story as quick as…a very quick thing. They contacted the DPC, and released a pretty damning statement:

‘Mobile phone tracking services have clear potential for abuse and
comprehensive safeguards need to be in place to ensure that the tracked
person has given full, ongoing, informed consent to being tracked’ said
TJ McIntyre of Digital Rights Ireland.

Apprently Top Security’s announcement “of this service was described as having been premature.” You got that straight.

This doesn’t mean the service won’t be released, just that it has been delayed.

Well done Digital Rights Ireland.