this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2023
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Network is more effective IMO, as you don't specifically need GPS to get someone's location. You can use nearby WiFi MAC address lookups, bluetooth beacons, cell towers, or plain old IP lookup if there's internet etc.
Yeah, but it also makes the device a lot less useful unless you're by wifi, and then the triangulation will basically show where you were up to the point you dropped off-network. I already turn off location in software until it's needed - mostly for battery concerns but also some privacy - so having a hard switch would be much more convenient. Tower would still be able to triangulate but accuracy on that can be pretty variable.
IP lookups are kinda useless for GeoIP on phones. Mine shows a location thousands of km away where my provider terminates connections, and they're shared IP's.