Londons Smart Bins

JBod · 11 Aug 2013 at 13:24

I searched so hopefully not repeating, I don't do RSS too often.

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/londons-smart-bins-track-4m-phones-a-week-over-wi-fi-50011958/

I walk by the bin in that picture every day twice to and from work. In fact I walk by around 3 or 4. This is sneaky, clever and I had no idea.

As it points out in the article it doesn't actually store anything personal about you but it knows who you are. How do I feel about this? It is such a cunning idea I have nothing but respect for them but I am not sure I like it.

Hyburnate · 11 Aug 2013 at 13:27

Turning my Wi-Fi off tomorrow!

Theophany · 11 Aug 2013 at 13:31

Always have my Wi-Fi off when I'm in town. HSDPA+ is quicker than free hotspots most of the time.

JBod · 11 Aug 2013 at 13:38

I keep WiFi on to assist GPS to play Ingress.

Theophany · 11 Aug 2013 at 13:44

Surely that murders your battery life?

httk · 11 Aug 2013 at 13:47

JBod said:
I keep WiFi on to assist GPS to play Ingress.

Haha. I switch my wifi off whenever I'm not using it. But I'm not too concerned about them capturing my MAC address, I'm going to ignore whatever advertising they aim at me....

JBod · 11 Aug 2013 at 13:54

Theophany said:
Surely that murders your battery life?

Leave home with 100% and arrive at work with about 18%

But damn it Monument, Southwark and Old Broad Street are mine!

Cosimo · 11 Aug 2013 at 13:58

Don't care. Mobile data on and wifi off when I'm out and about.

Biohazard · 11 Aug 2013 at 14:00

Is there no mercy?

Westyfield2 · 11 Aug 2013 at 14:04

I never turn WiFi off :confused:

. When in town I really notice that LTE kills the battery, so always would prefer my phone to be scanning for wireless networks to join.

Hyburnate · 11 Aug 2013 at 14:06

I'll have mobile data on and wifi off by default.

EdGey · 11 Aug 2013 at 14:12

What a **** idea...

deuse · 11 Aug 2013 at 14:24

Biohazard said:
Is there no mercy?

Nope they binned it

Wonder if it could be taken down some how(and I don't mean smashing it up)?

JBod · 11 Aug 2013 at 14:28

deuse said:
Nope they binned it

Wonder if it could be taken down some how(and I don't mean smashing it up)?

Write an app that fakes up mac addresses and rotates through them very very quickly so they think a few million walked by every second?

bitslice · 11 Aug 2013 at 14:35

JBod said:
Write an app that fakes up mac addresses and rotates through them very very quickly so they think a few million walked by every second?

Meh, just about to post this

robgmun · 11 Aug 2013 at 14:44

I only turn my wifi on when underground to surf. All the other times I'm on 3 so no need for wifi anytime

yhack · 11 Aug 2013 at 15:25

JBod said:
Write an app that fakes up mac addresses and rotates through them very very quickly so they think a few million walked by every second?

Get a group of people doing that and DDOS the bin. In fact, get it to rotate MAC addresses with B00BIE5 in.

londonbairn · 11 Aug 2013 at 15:26

I know that I will be lambasted for this but not that bothered. One outside my work as well. I don't have anything to hide nor do I really care if someone wants to know that I like to visit Pod or whatever.

It's not like its the only thing that "tracks us" out there

Yas786 · 11 Aug 2013 at 15:34

Dont turn my wifi on when im out and about, only time my wifi is on is when im at home or at the office otherwise its always off.

ikillbears · 11 Aug 2013 at 15:42

JBod said:
I keep WiFi on to assist GPS to play Ingress.

this seems rather interesting. just had a little look. do you basically just have to go to certain points and the system says you control it ?