Re: Was Google Location Accuracy (now is How to Spoof Wi-Fi Location)

VanguardLH wrote on Sat, 26 Oct 2024 10:27:14 -0500 :

Given that situation that it's trivial to spoof GPS when Precise Location
Accuracy is turned on, does anyone know how to spoof Wi-Fi location data?

 I'm confused.

Hi Vanguard,
Thanks for trying to help out as this is a VERY DIFFICULT privacy problem
to resolve - that will require help from people like you and Andy Burns.
The problem is also asked by me here in the XDA Developer's web site today.
 <https://xdaforums.com/t/privacy-is-it-possible-to-spoof-the-nearby-wi-fi-access-point-location-data-when-google-location-privacy-is-turned-on-we-can-already-spoof-gps.4699702/>
 

If you don't want to include more than GPS for geolocation, why enable high accuracy mode which includes wi-fi hotspots and cell towers?

Exactly! We all agree with you. We do NOT want it. We hate it!
But Google wants it - which is the reason Andy Burns opened this thread.
Andy is warning us that Google sets it by default on Android 15!

High accuracy: GPS + networks
Battery saving: networks only
Device sensors only: GPS only  <-- This isn't what you want, so you can
                                   spoof it?

Remember, it's not us who is enabling this setting; it's Google doing it!
 "Google Location Accuracy" > "Improve Location Accuracy"
We don't want it. Even more to the point, we do not need it.
It's a trick by Google to get our data; it helps Google - not us!
I've discussed it in this thread from the summer when Google turned it on.
[Privacy] Do you know a way to permanently disable Google Location Accuracy
'precise location' & 'Wi-Fi scanning' while keeping only the GPS radio on?
 <https://xdaforums.com/t/privacy-do-you-know-a-way-to-permanently-disable-google-location-accuracy-precise-location-wi-fi-scanning-while-keeping-only-the-gps-radio-on.4543135/>                                  

Those are my settings.

What I want is for me and me only to turn on "Google Location Accuracy
Improve Location Accuracy"; only me. Not Google. Nobody but me.
And I'll NEVER turn it on!
That's teh whole point.
We don't want it on.
Ever.
It's *never* needed (in my outdoor use model, anyway).
[I could see it being useful in rare indoor-only use models though.]

In your reply to Andy, seems you don't get to choose other than
On and Off for geo accuracy.

That's not the problem. Because I know how to turn it off.
(Although Andy implied he can't turn it off so we have to wait for him to
respond as in Android 13 I can turn it off when apps turn it on.)
The problem to understand is diabolically sinister. 1. Google LOVES when idiots turn on "Improve Location Accuracy"
2. But apparently there aren't enough idiots who do that
3. So now Google makes it the default in Android 15
Worse... since about the summer, Google Maps has *insisted* on turning it
on, and so do almost *all* apps which are compiling with the GSF spyware.
A. For example, if you open a cellular signal strength debugger
B. Which has been compiled with the ubiquitious GSF spyware runkit
C. It *forces* you to turn on  "Improve Location Accuracy"!
D. Even though it's not needed at all for the cellular debugging!
The app doesn't need "Improve Location Accuracy".
Google needs it!
That's why we want to turn it off.

Turning off seems to be
the same as "device sensors only" for me which only using GPS.  However,
one the last screenshot but one, looks like you have wi-fi scanning off.

You *never* want "Wi-Fi Scanning" to be turned on.
The problem is the GSF spyware automatically turns it on!
So you're constantly turning it off.
Again, YOU never will need it.
Google wants it!
That's why we want to turn it off!

With wi-fi scanning off, does it get forced on if you enable high
accuracy mode?

The problem is diabolical, where each app does different things but the
apps that have GSF spyware incorporated into them will often automatically
turn on all the scanning that YOU don't need but that Google wants.

Are you trying to using GPS + cell towers while omitting wi-fi hotspots?
Not sure Android has that option, but I haven't use lots of brands of
smartphones to be sure.

I do not want to use cell towers (too inaccurate compared to GPS).
I do not want to use Wi-Fi hotspots (because of spyware upload reasons)
I only want to use GPS (which is one way!). GPS itself doesn't spy on you. It's a one-way signal.
From the satellite, to you.
GPS works even when you're not on the Internet.
But that's not the problem posed in this thread because it's trivial to
spoof the GPS location. I wrote all about it in this XDA thread long ago.
 <https://xdaforums.com/t/privacy-whats-the-most-functional-mock-location-gps-spoofing-app-set-in-your-developer-options-for-mock-location-app.4475435/>
The problem is spoofing the Wi-FI AP location.
Only someone like Andy who knows how Android works will be able to
instantly understand why I ask this question though as most people haven't
thought past the letter A in the alphabet where this is around S or T in
terms of the level of knowledge and understanding that is required.
I am aware that the GPS spoofers also do "something" with respect to Wi-Fi
spoofing; but I asked XDA Developers about that a year ago, with no joy.
 <https://xdaforums.com/t/privacy-what-does-it-mean-to-spoof-wi-fi-provider-in-your-default-fake-gps-mock-location-app-such-as-lexa-gps-spoofing.4629361/>
Long ago I asked this newsgroup what it means for Lexa to "Spoof Wi-Fi
Provider", but nobody knew what it means - and I don't know either.
 <https://i.postimg.cc/7L8BN7Nq/mocklocation04.jpg>
In summary, Google is automatically turning on "Improve Location Accuracy"
because Google wants the nearby Wi-Fi access point unique location data.
We do NOT need "Improve Location Accuracy" nor do we want it.
So we turn it off.
But if we can't turn it off, what we want to do is spoof it.
This thread seeks people who know Android better than I do who can explain
to me (and to all of us) how to spoof all that nearby Wi-Fi location data?