[OSM-dev] [bug] direction of GPS traces

Kenn Sebesta kenn at wifi-bourgogne.com
Tue Apr 14 16:15:01 BST 2009


>> Frankly this sounds like a disastrous security hole.
>
> It sounds like you're slightly paranoid.

Aren't we all these days?

For me, the problem comes from confusing terminology. You're
absolutely right that if you upload to OSM, it's because you want to
share. However, the term "private" should not be used with data that
is very quickly not. I can't conceive of any reason right now why you
would want to do this, but I never would have dreamed up the internet
either. The idea of "semi-private" or "obscured" sounds better than
"private". "Private" makes me think that people actually are actively
working to maintain a certain level of privacy, one that-- almost by
definition-- means that it is impossible or at least extremely
difficult to trace the tracks back to me. Since this doesn't seem to
be the service that OSM delivers, or would even want to, it might be
useful to change a couple words on the web page.




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