<story><title>iOS 8 randomises the MAC address while scanning for WiFi networks</title><url>https://twitter.com/fredericjacobs/status/475601665836744704</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>brunnsbe</author><text>If this becomes the trend (which in my opinon would be nice) it will become a big problem for companies that specialise in customer tracking e.g. for supermarkets and big department stores. Previously it was quite easy to track a customer, how long he or she spends time in the store, which floors he or she visits, etc. by putting up dummy WiFI-networks that the customers phones find by giving out their MAC-addresses.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>userbinator</author><text>It&amp;#x27;s disturbingly creepy to think that stores would even think of doing this, but on the other hand it&amp;#x27;s also an indication of how clueless the general population is about the amount of identifiable data they&amp;#x27;re unconsciously &amp;quot;leaking&amp;quot; through personal, (nearly) always-on devices. My laptop is setup with a random MAC precisely to prevent this sort of tracking.&lt;p&gt;Interestingly, the unbranded Android phones I have (one looks very much like an iPhone, ironically enough) all came with this &amp;quot;feature&amp;quot; of a random MAC every time the WiFi is turned on&amp;#x2F;off, although that was more likely the manufacturer not bothering to give each one a unique MAC.&lt;p&gt;All the more reason to keep the WiFi turned off unless you&amp;#x27;re actually using it, and this might be a bit on the paranoid side, but I do the same for the cell radio (airplane mode) - it&amp;#x27;s on only when I&amp;#x27;m expecting a call or making one.&lt;p&gt;At the other end of the scale, this tracking via MAC almost invites making them think several million customers have suddenly entered the store...</text></comment>
<story><title>iOS 8 randomises the MAC address while scanning for WiFi networks</title><url>https://twitter.com/fredericjacobs/status/475601665836744704</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>brunnsbe</author><text>If this becomes the trend (which in my opinon would be nice) it will become a big problem for companies that specialise in customer tracking e.g. for supermarkets and big department stores. Previously it was quite easy to track a customer, how long he or she spends time in the store, which floors he or she visits, etc. by putting up dummy WiFI-networks that the customers phones find by giving out their MAC-addresses.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>LoganCale</author><text>Good. It should be a problem for them.</text></comment>