To improve Location services and estimate the location of a device, Google uses publicly broadcast Wi-Fi information from wireless access points and GPS, cell tower, and sensor data. This data is limi
EDIT: So looked around some more and everyone points to that link as the main source for this information. That link lists a page on microsoft.com that no longer works. The internet archive has a snapshot from 2017 which states the following:
How we help keep your data safe
Protecting your home or business network
If you manage an open Wi-Fi network at home or at a small business but don’t want Windows to automatically connect people to it, you can opt your network out by including _optout somewhere in the Wi-Fi network name (also called the SSID). For example, “mynetwork_optout” or “my_optout_network”. When you do this, Windows won’t automatically connect people to your open network. For more detailed info, see the section To prevent other Windows 10 customers from automatically connecting to an open Wi-Fi network you manage.
So it sounds like that only applies to open wifi access points and Windows machines automatically connecting to them. Perhaps _optout doesn’t actually matter if you’re using wifi encryption (which you should be). Interesting… I’d like to know where I got the idea that it included bing maps cars…
Thanks for bringing to my attention that I might have accidentally spread misinformation.
_optout is the SSID suffex to block mapping by Microsoft (which includes Bing maps cars) and can be placed anywhere in the SSIDSee comments below about further information about _optout. It might be unnecessary.
_nomap is the SSID suffex to block mapping by Google (which includes streetview cars) and must be placed at the END of the SSID
To have what should be the default amount of privacy for SSID, one must have an SSID like this: SSIDNAME_optout_nomap
See comments below about further information about _optout. It might be unnecessary.
This is ridiculous and shameful upon the companies that track every little fucking thing about our lives.
Could you provide a source for the microsoft middlefix?
Sure thing, here you go: https://superuser.com/questions/1005235/wi-fi-opt-out-microsoft-google
EDIT: So looked around some more and everyone points to that link as the main source for this information. That link lists a page on microsoft.com that no longer works. The internet archive has a snapshot from 2017 which states the following:
So it sounds like that only applies to open wifi access points and Windows machines automatically connecting to them. Perhaps _optout doesn’t actually matter if you’re using wifi encryption (which you should be). Interesting… I’d like to know where I got the idea that it included bing maps cars…
Thanks for bringing to my attention that I might have accidentally spread misinformation.