Google Locations Mapped

[Drezha]

I found this Python script floating about on Reddit and thought it was an interesting piece of code.

It maps out your location history from Google Maps location tracking (so if it’s not on, you can’t see anything!)

It gives a HTMLfile you can zoom in and see various bits and remaps the data as you zoom. For example, here’s the main view.

But zooming in to the map, you can see much more detail.

It’s also interesting to not you can pick out the route I use on the train and exactly where the tunnels are…

I have a feeling that the more in depth tracks were when I’ve been using an Android phone (or Google Maps for navigation) and that the individual spots on routes is when I’ve been using an iPhone and the app isn’t as aggressive with tracking. However, it doesn’t look hugely more aggressive, as the red circle below was when I was using my Oneplus 6T (no Google maps usage, just a geocaching walk), whilst the yellow was my iPhone (as I tracked that walk with my Apple Watch – but yet another geocaching walk).

Anyhow, was an intersting way to spend part of the afternoon looking through.

Also, it throughs up some interesting anomolies, as it shows a location in New Zealand and in one of the Arabic States, as well as Slovakia, none of which I’ve ever visited!

"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

[Ed P]

I do not know whether to cheer this example of technology, or get very concerned.

As you can attest that it is otherwise 99+% accurate, I get very concerned at the presence of any spurious data. What if it had shown you in compromising locations e.g. a regular visitor to a Chinese/Russian embassies, or frequent trips to Iran?  If most of the data is accurate what basis do you have for saying the other stuff is wrong?

It is always much harder to prove that you did not do something, and spurious data and spurious statistics could earn you a visit from the Men in Black!

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