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Stop replacing London's phone boxes with corporate surveillance
New connected kiosks are replacing London's payphones. Every time you use them, you're allowing Google, BT and Primesight to track you

Atkin, Ross
http://www.wired.co.uk/article/linkuk-bt-google-free-wifi-and-calls-london

Publisher:  Wired
Date Written:  16/02/2018
Year Published:  2018  
Resource Type:  Article

Concerns over privacy in London, UK, as Google, BT and Primesight provide free wifi and phone charging in exchange for allowing the consortium to identify users and track their movements through the city.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt:

Over the last few months an unfamiliar object has begun to appear on London's streets. Ratty old BT payphones, that of late had only functioned as advertising space and unofficial public toilets, are being replaced by internet-connected "Links" kiosks as part of a BT, outdoor advertising giant Primesight and Intersection, a smart cities firm which counts Alphabet subsidiary Sidewalk Labs as an investor.

In exchange for free wifi and phone charging – and even free calls if you are prepared to shout into the kiosk's side, as apparently over 86,000 desperate callers have already done – users allow the consortium to identify them and track their movements through the city.

Here's how it works. You approach the kiosk and connect your phone to "_InLinkUK from BT Free Wi-Fi". Then there's a login page. You submit your email address and accept the terms of use and privacy policy. At the same time, the kiosk also collects your device type and MAC addresses, an identifier unique to each individual wireless device.

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