Buy a phone, get a tracker: unauthorized tracking code illegally installed on Android phones

Online & Mobile tracking Buy a phone, get a tracker: unauthorized tracking code illegally installed on Android phones As reported by the Financial Times, noyb launched further action against Google’s AAID (Android Advertising Identifier), following similar complaints against Apple’s IDFA. The somewhat hidden ID allows Google and all apps on the phone to track a user and combine information about online and mobile behaviour. While these trackers clearly require the users’ consent (as known from “cookie banners”), Google neglects this legal requirement. noyb therefore filed a complaint against Google’s tracking code AAID. Complaint filed to the Data Protection Authority of France (PDF) Tracking without user consent. Google’s software creates the AAID without the user’s knowledge or consent. The identification number functions like a license plate that uniquely identifies the phone of a user and can be shared among companies. After its creation, Google and third parties (e.g. applicat