In a report by the Wall Street Journal, the US government is allegedly tracking million of its citizens through their smartphones. This is explained to be done through a firm named Anomaly Six, which is claimed to be setting its tracking software through 500+ apps, and lodging the location data. Though what the US government is doing with this data is unknown, it’s reasoned to be legal!
US Government Spying on its Citizens?
While is blaming Chinese tech companies for closely and associated with their government and spying on its users, a report from WSJ reveals the US government to is doing the same! It’s reported that a Virginia-based firm named Anomaly Six LLC, run by two US military veterans is how the US government tracks people.
The firm pays developers to set their self-made tracking code into consumer apps, which then tracks users location data. The data gathered by this firm is then sold to the US government, for unknown purposes. And since it’s associated with the federal body itself, it doesn’t necessarily need to disclose its operations. Well, it didn’t reveal which apps it has partnered with to spy on users, but the count has gone to 500+, as per reports.
Though this may attract privacy activists, the firm defends itself with the government’s backup, and most importantly, by saying the process is anonymous. It tracks users location data without tagging them with identification, but with code. But this can be backtracked to find out who it could be. And since it’s not selling this data for any commercial purposes like marketing or advertising, it’s safe.
Yet, this practice is terrific. The reason why the government is keeping tabs on their citizens is unknown yet but could be defended as purposes for counter-terrorism, or alike reasons.
