Google has confirmed it has been able to track the location of Android users via the addresses of local mobile phone masts, even when location service were turned off and sim cards removed to protect privacy.

By a report by Quartz, Google's Android system, which handles meassaging services to ensure delivery by push notifications, began requesting the unique addresses  of mobile phone masts called cell of 2017.

The information must be taken from phone, even where location service turned off.

In jJanuary 2017 they looking into using Cell Id codes with additional signal.

Google never incorporated cell id into their network sync system so data was immediately discarded and they updated it no longer request Cell Id.

Location tracking via mobile phone is  a common practice, used by all the others major players.

However mapping service , location data is used for delivering the weathet, localised news, shopping service, augmented reality service then two different wireless devices simply by location.

But in most cases it is possible to prevent the location tracking systems from recording data, should be disable and privacy features enabled.![Googlemap-600x551.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPZyvyXBB1DpZNQb3yi8GpQwHcX6o8zdoBE7RMG332es9/Googlemap-600x551.jpg)