Contributor I

Answered

WHY PRECISE LOCATION WHY???

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This is a total joke...ive had a working system for ages, now Ive changed my WiFi password and downloaded the ‘latest’ sonos app. If i want to connect to the speaker to update the wifi pw using bluetooth, the app wants PRECISE location, not just approx, ie my street..which i can see on the map, but it wants my damn house number using GPS/WiFi etc. jeez, just tell them where i hide the front door keys while we are at it...

This is bull… there is NO REASON WHATSOEVER for an app to need precise location, unless its a gps app like navigation etc.

I want to know WHY this is needed and HOW it could ‘impact’ the service. Knowing my street, suburb, city, country is fine with me, (and more than enough info) but even that is crap..so why does it need precise location??? I want a decent answer!

Before the haters chime in..its rubbish what your going to say about, “thats what you have to do”, “go elsewhere”..bla bla… well you can provide what you want ...don’t force it on me.. this is basic privacy...

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Corry PAnswer

Sonos Staff

Hi @whatever111

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

Location permissions are required in order to gain access to nearby WiFi names and devices. We do not use or store the location, but we do use and store WiFi access point SSIDs (Service Set IDentifier). These SSIDs are stored on the phone itself in the app’s own data store, and nowhere else. So, we are not collecting the location in terms of latitude and longitude, but we are using the permission in order for our products to function correctly, or indeed at all.

I hope this helps.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

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jgatie

your privacy policy literally says you collect location data.

Collecting != saving.

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FedUpCustomer

Lyricist III

Let’s be honest here. Yes, you are quoting the 2024 privacy policy. However, the 2023 policy was quite different. Regarding location, it said:

“your general geographic location as indicated by your IP address”

You can read the whole thing here: https://web.archive.org/web/20230320191328mp_/https://www.sonos.com/en-us/legal/privacy#legal-privacy-types-info-container

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AndrewRobert

Lyricist II

I get your frustration! The reason for asking for precise location is usually to optimize performance and troubleshoot issues, like network interference. It’s a bit much to ask for your exact house number, though. If you’re not comfortable, contact Sonos support to see if there's an option to skip that step or opt out. You should have control over your privacy!

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jgatie

I get your frustration! The reason for asking for precise location is usually to optimize performance and troubleshoot issues, like network interference. It’s a bit much to ask for your exact house number, though. If you’re not comfortable, contact Sonos support to see if there's an option to skip that step or opt out. You should have control over your privacy!

As far as I know, it doesn’t ask for your house number. The process is all automatic, and it uses location services within the mobile OS to determine location, which can be used to get exact location if Sonos so desired (which by their own admission, they do not, otherwise they would be storing it).

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nsvd

Lyricist II

There is no technological reason why they need precise location. I have other similar products with the exact same functionality which do not ask for it. The only reason could be that the company has a financial motive to do so.

Got a Sonos speaker for Christmas but unfortunately I will just have to throw it away because of this policy. Very sad to see company representatives talking belligerently to their users in this thread as well. What a horrible product. I’ve given it negative reviews everywhere that is possible to do so.

P.S. the Privacy Policy was mentioned in this thread… did people suddenly forget that the company reserves the right to change the policy at any time, for any reason?

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Airgetlam

No technological reason, like trying to present you applicable streaming companies, depending on your location?

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Bruce

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nsvd

Lyricist II

Your location is used to detect your nearby speakers for setup and/or to auto-populate your geographic location for deciding which radio stations are local and which music services you are eligible for. As stated, precise location is not stored nor shared, it is simply part of the OS request. The requirement has been in place for years and must’ve been agreed to in the past or you could not have setup/updated Sonos.

This is simply factually incorrect; there is no reason why a simple bluetooth speaker would need location data to connect to a bluetooth device. Your claim can be refuted by picking up almost any other bluetooth speaker on the market. Regarding radio stations or music services, those could simply be disabled by default.

I don’t believe that a concern for the right of privacy is “full tin-foil-hat”, but a vital part of any democratic society.

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nsvd

Lyricist II

No technological reason, like trying to present you applicable streaming companies, depending on your location?

This would be a great optional feature, however, why make it mandatory? I think the real incentives are pretty obvious here.

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