For one, why do people use free open wifi? It takes barely anything to tap that connection and see what people are doing. Without an encryption tunnel(encryption which is broken due to Canada creating the backdoor key for the NSA) your data stream is open.
Its always been known that using airport wifi is a big risk and someone had to be storing all that delicious data.
Saw this article on how a street of shops in Ontario(Toronto's queen west neighborhood) are using a company's wifi harvesting product(for free) and the company uses the data for profit.
It is like constantly picking someones pocket, pulling out their wallet and copying the I.D. for creating a database of movements.
It is an invasion of privacy, due to that specific marker. The excuse of 'being in a public space' is not valid. Your anonymous person is now tagged for your repeat trips in to that area.
The protests in the Ukraine, people in a area of protest, were all sent text messages of "you are in a protest we don't like and we know who you are".
Silly people not turning off their cell phones as they are a great tracking tool.
Of course Canada has Bhell and their "Screw you. All your 'privacy protected data' belong to us for magnificent profit."
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business.financialpost.c ··· t-or-not But this dynamic and progressive area is also among the most watched areas in the country for far different reasons the movements of those who pass through this 1.9-kilometre strip with their Wi-Fi- or Bluetooth-enabled devices are being tracked and recorded.
There are 15 sensors in different businesses along Queen Street West that scan for signals emitted by such wireless devices, said Rob Sysak, executive director of the West Queen West Business Improvement Association.
These sensors, in this case made by Toronto-based Turnstyle Solutions, can follow a smartphone, tablet or laptops signal to track that consumers exact path. Whether they linger by the shoe rack or make their way to the register in the Fresh Collective clothing store, decide to head to Dark Horse Espresso Bar next, or return to the area in the future, these smartphone-sized devices are tracking it all.
Turn off your phones wifi or it will constantly ping for a router to say hi too.
Other companies in North America, when caught, have quickly turned off their 'test' of tracking.