Shopping centre uses mobile phone data to "monitor visitor levels"

[James Firth]

> So they are collecting very fine grained location data for individual
> phones. No doubt the towers log the information which would let you
> turn a TIMISI into a telephone number. Handy if there's a riot.
> 

Isn't this capture of traffic data, and doesn't this require informed
consent.  ICO says:

"However, to obtain valid informed consent, the subscriber or user should be
given enough clear information for them to have a broad appreciation of how
the data is going to be used and the consequences of consenting to such use
(see the first principle in the guide to data protection). In light of this,
the service provider will not be able to rely on a blanket 'catch all'
statement on a bill or a website but must get specific informed consent..."

http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisations/privacy_and_electronic_communication
s/the_guide/traffic_data.aspx

And isn't such a sign a real-world equivalent of a "blanket 'catch all'"...

James Firth