Google is not using exclusively DBs like MaxMind for geolocation though. They fuse a lot of data together and probably can even discern which building you're on from the other local network devices without the precise geolocation sharing.

Like the Meta/Yandex apps were doing, just not strictly for position tracking, but more centered toward pinpointing your unique id.

Strava apps, FourSquare apps, proximity to friend alerts...

It's really disappointing how doubt and suspicion have rotted some people's brains. Any and every work being viewed with searing doubt is such an unfortunate fate, that consigns humanity away against progress and possibility.

As a developer of fun personal website toys for myself & friends, I want to do good things. I want a better web platform. Oh I can download third rate geo-ip databases to do a bad job inaccurately spying on people who maybe dont want to be spied on, and that won't work with VPN's/tailscale? So what? That sounds infernal as heck. None of the post engages with the subject matter, it's all whinge about something else.

And I didn't stop at geolocation. Usermedia is even more used, everyday by many many people. The ability to turn that in and off fast is crucial to users having control.

This morose-ith is right up there with the right wing batshittery that protestors are paid: people so far gone into a conspiracy world of vice that they literally cannot believe in good and hope, even when it's right ahead of them.

But, PS, Google, I still haven't seen any checks (actually I got a summer of code long long ago), so, please, get those moving!