Traccar – Modern GPS Tracking Platform
traccar.org
traccar.org
It comes in as Json and just parts the regions array
This seems shady:
"* In addition to standard version available on the Google Play, Traccar Client for Android comes in a special hidden version. It includes modifications to make the app less visible to the phone’s owner. Name is changed from “Traccar Client” to “Device Settings”. Default Android settings icon is used as an app icon. After first start, the app removes itself from the launcher. To open it again dial 8722227 (TRACCAR)."
I highly doubt that's GDPR complaint. Then again, it is a Russian company who sell their server capacity in USDs.
I don't think there's anything wrong with a Russian company selling online in USD if they want to hit a higher market. As someone from Pakistan, I wouldn't price my SaaS in PKR either if my market includes people from outside the country.
As for the Russia/USD thing, it was worth mentioning as a heads up (and besides from the way I wrote it, you can read as if they don't target EU). It was meant in an informational way (and I like that they're open about where they're from). Whatever judgement you draw from it, is up to the reader.
There is no reason to try and hide such an app, though. Phones that are company property will be under MDM which can ensure a given app is installed and prevent uninstallation.
These features, presumably, are to target the shady "spouse spying", domestic abuse and similar adversarial tracking markets.
But I certainly see your point. I'm just hoping they're a legitimate vehicle tracking solution that's letting you add an accompanying hard-to-remove client app on a spare phone to use as a easy vehicle tracker.
If you are allowed to track a device and the user is aware of that, then there is no reason to hide it. In any other case, fuck that.
One legitimate use of such technology is a tracker on your own phone in case it gets stolen. Prey[0] used to disguise itself as a game a few years ago.
You described a different scenario. My comment was not related to installing such hidden software yourself on your own device, not meant to be used by anyone else.
As for GDPR compliance, users are in full control of their data. You can delete anything you want from the system. We do collect some anonymous aggregates statistics from servers, but that can easily be disabled in the configuration.
Do you have a whitepaper describing your aggregation methods? I've seen a talk by some Google engineers who worked on Maps and they went to extensive efforts to anonymize drive segments. This is very difficult (there's a surprising amount of subtlety) and while I'm not doubting your company's abilities, publishing such a whitepaper would help dispel any misgivings people might get over knowing that you collect this by default.
https://github.com/traccar/traccar/blob/master/src/main/java...
I've seen other open source apps that does that by default as well. Open source just means the source is open and that is all.
Also, what Android/iOS got to do with this? A "viewer" (dashboard) for the server?
There are two mobile apps. One app is basically for tracking your phone (Traccar Client) and the other one is the viewer (Traccar Manager).
When I think of this space I have have four thoughts.
1. Ordinary users don't want their location data used by third parties. Which eliminates all of the commercial offerings.
2. They also don't want to pay $50/mo for someone to track them and then turn around and sell their data to everyone.
3. The three functions people want are a) Someone just drove off with my car detection. b) Where did the thieves leave my car. c) Is my car going to get a parking ticket at 6am tomorrow.
4. And what stops me. Spousal abusers and stalkers misusing the technology. You can solve 1, 2, 3 by a device that doesn't report it's location unless pinged remotely, it leaves a 'location box' like your driveway, or if someone tampers with it. I can't see how to solve #4. Maybe it doesn't matter because stalkers probably want a tracking device not a locator device.
Traccar supports many protocols so you are usually able to buy a random tracker and reconfigure it to work with your traccar instance.
It also might have been more expensive to design and produce their own PCB with all these features, so if the Pi is cheaper, why not use it?
Also, there are a ton of information, tutorials and libraries available made for the Raspberry Pi. Now their customers can take advantage of all that too.
Traccar was awesome for this.
It's not sure that it gets submitted again, this is the best alternative.
It's just temporarily to show it in the front page. They mentioned it somewhere.
As long as it works, there's no problem