Location Privacy Aggregation Testing via Fictitious Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems that use aggregated location data for location-based services may inadvertently disclose user location history by processing data from locations that do not meet the threshold minimum number of reports, violating privacy protocols.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for determining compliance with location data protocols by generating fictitious user data with locations that do not meet the threshold minimum number of reports, processing this data through a location data processing system, and identifying any inclusion of these locations in output lists to determine protocol compliance, with notifications and potential shutdown of non-compliant systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If location data from all locations is processed without threshold filtering, then the quantity of location data available for analysis increases, but user privacy protection deteriorates due to disclosure of location history from under-reported locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes location data from under-reported locations (locations below the threshold) from the aggregation process. By separating and excluding this problematic data subset, the system maintains privacy protection while preserving useful location data from well-reported locations for service provision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary filtering action before location data aggregation by pre-establishing and applying minimum report thresholds. This preliminary action identifies and excludes under-reported locations in advance, preventing privacy violations before they occur during the aggregation process.
2Reliability
If a testing protocol with fictitious user data is implemented, then location privacy compliance can be verified, but device complexity increases due to additional testing infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates copies of user location data in the form of fictitious user records that replicate real user behavior patterns. These synthetic copies are used for testing and validation purposes, allowing verification of privacy compliance without handling actual sensitive user data, thus reducing the complexity of secure data management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fictitious user data as an intermediary between the testing system and actual user location data. This intermediary allows compliance testing to be performed without direct access to real user data, simplifying the testing infrastructure while maintaining reliable privacy verification through statistical equivalence.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects provide methods, systems, and recording mediums for determining compliance with a location data protocol including a threshold minimum number of location data reports by users. As an example, fictitious user data including a set of locations may be generated. The set of locations may include at least one location that does not meet the threshold minimum number of location data reports by users of the location data protocol. The fictitious user data may be provided to a location data processing system that processes user location data and outputs output data including a list of locations. The output data is received and used to determine whether the at least one location is included in the list of locations. When the at least one location is included in the list of locations, it may be determined that the location data processing system has not complied with the location data protocol.