Prove me wrong: Map data collection

[jmustard]

As I was hunting this year, alone with my thoughts and began thinking about how these YouTube/ Outdoors channels/ GOHUNT, ONX videos show their hunter passing on animals that most people are happy just to see. Then I think about all the data that I have uploaded to OnX and my waypoints. Then I went way down the rabbit hole and I cannot stop thinking about it. Here is where I am stuck... and my questions

Does OnX, GOHUNT etc have access to everyone's data points?
If yes, the workers/sponsors/ owners of these companies have a literal library of data points that they can use for even low points or general hunts.
Furthermore, the owners/ workers of these companies can get REAL TIME UPDATES on customers out in the field and where they are seeing animals.
so if they wanted they could get an OTC tag. Call the software engineers and they would be literally put on the spot if there are current hunters in the field seeing animals and marking spots.
So there is an incentive for these owners to convince you to upload the data and join their platform. It is a literal treasure map.

Please prove me wrong.....

 

[Redman]

I have always thought the same thing.

 

[Schaaf]

I’m In Montana, I don’t really care if they have all my waypoints of 140” deer.

 

[RyGuy]

I’m In Montana, I don’t really care if they have all my waypoints of 140” deer.

From what I hear, a 140” deer in Montana is a giant. See:Montana mule deer rant

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Damn… hope they don’t steal mine

 

[EYJONAS!]

Would be a hell of a perk wouldn't it. Probably better than government benefits and holidays......

 

[np307]

Jokes on them, I can't even decipher my own waypoints

 

[seeth07]

did you or anyone ever read the terms of use fine print? your answer is likely in there.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Damn… hope they don’t steal mine

View attachment 248358

Wonder how many searched that location.......

No i didn't

 

[Scott85]

How many billions of billions waypoints would they need to figure out to find a good spot?

 

[338win]

I hope they find this one

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

 

[Nameless Range]

I do think that certain folks at OnX, for example, can access the secured web services each user has access to in their own accounts in certain roles for administrative purposes, and thus could see and review those feature services while they are being collected, or after they are synced back up with their parent versions.

That said, professional IT outfits such as those mentioned, in the portions of the shop that manage the backend data, would likely have policies and/or actual barriers to such behaviors that violated user privacy and expectations. I have spent a fair amount of time talking about how OnX could do many things better, and further many causes in a better way, so I am no fanboy, but I have little concern about the issue mentioned when I do use OnX .

That said, when I have time to make the maps, I use Avenza, because I prefer that platform for more than one reason.


Be a fascinating thing for a massive data leak to occur with the data collected while using those platforms if it is all consolidated somewhere .....

 

[EYJONAS!]

Work your magic @wllm and @neffa3 ......

You guys surely would have one hell of a waypoint business going.

Much better than @Greenhorn brother @Stubaby

 

[jpcoll01]

There are 100% admins who have access. Do I think their cyber program is sophisticated enough to determine if someone were accessing it…I doubt it. I’d say there have been Database queries run “name contains: “7x7” and state: CO.
I was actually talking to a guy about this a couple days ago. Only a matter of time before all of our waypoint data is available for sale somewhere in the dark web when (not if) OnX or GOHUNT get popped.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Wrap your phone in tinfoil.

 

[mtmiller]

 

[jmustard]

For them it's a self fulfilling prophecy. Promote the use of their platform. Get more waypoints. Get more animals. The realtime hunting strategy is very interesting to me. Let's say I work for these companies. I'm elk hunting and don't see anything at my 1st and 2nd choices. I'm friends with "Bob in IT" and ask him what's been being uploaded the past 2 days in the unit I'm hunting. Boom. I go over to where someone marks "big bull bedded".
I could be totally speculating but it seems too easy. But the model is there and there's nothing to stop.

 

[Raisin Bran]

As I was hunting this year, alone with my thoughts and began thinking about how these YouTube/ Outdoors channels/ GOHUNT, ONX videos show their hunter passing on animals that most people are happy just to see. Then I think about all the data that I have uploaded to OnX and my waypoints. Then I went way down the rabbit hole and I cannot stop thinking about it. Here is where I am stuck... and my questions

Does OnX, GOHUNT etc have access to everyone's data points?
If yes, the workers/sponsors/ owners of these companies have a literal library of data points that they can use for even low points or general hunts.
Furthermore, the owners/ workers of these companies can get REAL TIME UPDATES on customers out in the field and where they are seeing animals.
so if they wanted they could get an OTC tag. Call the software engineers and they would be literally put on the spot if there are current hunters in the field seeing animals and marking spots.
So there is an incentive for these owners to convince you to upload the data and join their platform. It is a literal treasure map.

Please prove me wrong.....

It isn’t as far fetched an idea as it used to be given all of the current “tech” companies controlling, censoring, deleting or even selling information…your information….. I am with you on this one.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

For them it's a self fulfilling prophecy. Promote the use of their platform. Get more waypoints. Get more animals. The realtime hunting strategy is very interesting to me. Let's say I work for these companies. I'm elk hunting and don't see anything at my 1st and 2nd choices. I'm friends with "Bob in IT" and ask him what's been being uploaded the past 2 days in the unit I'm hunting. Boom. I go over to where someone marks "big bull bedded".
I could be totally speculating but it seems too easy. But the model is there and there's nothing to stop.

Seriously does anyone actually have a big bull bedded point? SMH

Honestly, if we are talking worst case scenario here, a company like OnX would be selling your tracking data to google who combines it with other data to create a profile of you.

Oh look, Bob buys donnets, drinks bud heavy, has a 4wheeler on credit, and doesn’t show any walking/hiking movement. He’s probably going to die of a heart attack, deny any apps for life insurance, increase his health insurance premium, and target adds for various blood pressure pharmaceuticals.