Ask HN: News.Y Combinator.com wants to use your devices location

Posted by hanniabu on Sunday March 24, 2019 @06:20PM
from the ask-hn dept.

I'm on here nearly every day and today, for the first time, I received a notification (on mobile) with the site requesting to use my location.

1. Has anybody else started receiving this prompt?

2. Why does this site need my location?

( 8 comments | 19 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: News.Y Combinator.com wants to use your devices l... by dmlittle on Sunday March 24, 2019 @06:43PM (#19479199)

1. No, I've never gotten the prompt.

2. I don't think it needs it?

What phone do you have and what browser are you using?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: News.Y Combinator.com wants to use your devices l... by hanniabu on Sunday March 24, 2019 @06:49PM (#19479221)

Samsung galaxy 7, using chrome

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: News.Y Combinator.com wants to use your devices l... by DrScump on Sunday March 24, 2019 @07:12PM (#19479294)

I'm using Chrome on a GS7 right now and have never seen this. I keep Location Services off anyway. Version 73.0...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: News.Y Combinator.com wants to use your devices l... by pronouncedGod on Sunday March 24, 2019 @06:39PM (#19479180)

Answer to the first question - I mostly lurk and have not received this notification from Safari at this time.

However, I would like to know why this website (and many others) need my location data.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: News.Y Combinator.com wants to use your devices l... by sli on Monday March 25, 2019 @12:13PM (#19483814)

This website does not ask for your location, OP pretty clearly has malware on their phone. This site uses a measly 150 lines of JS and none of it involves location. Feel free to see for yourself:

https://news.ycombinator.com/hn.js

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: News.Y Combinator.com wants to use your devices l... by quickthrower2 on Monday March 25, 2019 @05:46PM (#19487027)

1. No

2. It doesn’t

You may have malware or this is a MITM scenario, perhaps an Internet cafe? Does the site show as secure?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: News.Y Combinator.com wants to use your devices l... by l24ztj on Sunday March 24, 2019 @07:44PM (#19479403)

You've got a virus.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: News.Y Combinator.com wants to use your devices l... by acct1771 on Sunday March 24, 2019 @07:58PM (#19479447)

Second time I've read this question on this site today.

What are you guys installing/who builds your ROMs?

[ Parent | on HN ]