Your Phone Is Tracking You--Should You Care?  By Sean Michael
Kerner  |  Posted 2013-10-11 Email Print this article Print
mobile phone  There was an interesting story this week on SFGate
about some new Stanford University research into how sensors on
smartphones could be used for tracking people.  To make a long
story short, the researchers found that every smartphone that
has an accelerometer movement sensor has a unique digital
fingerprint. That is, through careful analysis, subtle
differences in sensors from different phones can help identify a
specific phone or user. The concern is that, unlike other forms
of tracking, this is one that a user could not opt out of or
shut down.  It's a valid concern, but not one that worries me
(much).  On Web browsers today, the use of small pieces of code
for tracking information (known as cookies) is widespread. It's
how the Internet works. Yes, I know there are efforts including
"Do Not Track" to limit the risk from cookies, and users can
also shut them down inside som