Tag: mobile data

Hackers can glean a significant amount of location data from smartphones, only to sell it to others.

According to recent data released by privacy campaigners in the United Kingdom, it is possible for hackers to access British mobile technology devices such as smartphones, including data that would reveal the user’s physical location as well as his or her movements throughout the day.

That information can then be sold to someone who intends to use it for criminal purposes.

Mobile technology wireless hotspot and phone operators are continually gathering detailed data with regards to the movements of device owners as they go about their everyday lives. This, according to the results of two individual investigations into the retention of mobile data. Now, people are being cautioned that if this information is ever hacked by a criminal, it could reveal a significant amount about a person’s daily activities and movements, which can include very personal details and could put these individuals at risk.

Reports on the matter have pointed out that many people have unwittingly signed up their mobile technology devices.

The privacy campaigners have said that many people don’t even realize that they have subscribed to having their location tracked all day and night, every day. They also don’t realize how sensitive this information can actually be as it can provide a great deal of insight into their regular routines. This can – and is – sold for profit. From legitimate sources, this data is sold in order to be analyzed for the purpose of mobile marketing and other similar reasons.

However, in the wrong hands, this detailed information can make it possible for criminals to target kids when they leave their homes or school, or they can blackmail adults who would rather not have their regular habits publicly known. This is especially troubling when considering that it also includes information that can reveal an individual’s gender, religion, sexual orientation, and a great deal more.

Krowdthink founder, Geoff Revill, explained that “Effectively consumers are opting in to being location tracked by default.” Krowdthink is a privacy campaign group which conducted one of the two widespread investigations into this data collection.

Mobile commerce remains an elusive issue for most of the retail industry, but analytics can help

Retailers are beginning to turn to mobile technology in order to better understand consumers. Smartphones and tablets are seemingly omnipresent in the modern age. Many consumers have begun to rely on these devices quite heavily in their daily lives, and many of these people are using their devices to shop online and at physical stores. Because consumers are becoming more mobile, retailers are working to better understand their shopping habits. Without a comprehensive understanding of mobile consumers, retailers may miss significant opportunities in terms of business.

Retailers are making use of analytics technology in order to better understand the behavior of mobile consumers

Retailers are turning to companies like Physicalytics, which provides services that are designed to track consumers when they approach certain stores. Using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology, these services are able to link themselves to a person’s smartphone, allowing retailers to track their shopping patterns. This is quite similar to how retailers track the behavior of online consumers. This data can be used by retailers to tailor themselves to more effectively engage mobile consumers.

Mobile-centric consumers are difficult to understand for many retailers that have yet to become comfortable in the mobile space

Analystics has been an important part of the retail industry for decades. Understanding the patterns that exist among certain consumer demographics is important for retailers because it allows them to become more engaged with their audience. The advent of mobile technology has changed the way consumers shop, which has placed a greater importance on analytics. Retailers have, for some time now, struggled to keep up with the changing habits of consumers that are becoming increasingly mobile-centric.

RetailNext finds success with its analytics technology

RetailNext is one company that has found some success with its analytics services. The company’s technology is being used at some 400 retail stores in Canada and the U.S. The company offers a variety of services that are aimed at meeting a retailer’s specific needs and has won acclaim from the retailers that make use of its technology.