Device location history anonymization based on stop decision

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

• determining, by a computing device, a location history associated with a first client device, wherein the location history comprises a plurality of time-stamped location reports associated with the first client device;
• before the location history is exported to long-term data storage, the computing device:
• (i) analyzing the location history to detect one or more types of identification information, and removing or obscuring detected identification information from the location history;
• and
• (ii) scrubbing at least one stop from the location history, wherein scrubbing the at least one stop comprises:
• (a) analyzing the location history to detect stops in the location history, wherein a stop comprises a plurality of location reports that indicate a substantial lack of movement by the first client device;
• and
• (b) scrubbing the location history in order to obscure at least one location report that corresponds to the at least one stop;
• and
• exporting the scrubbed location history to long-term data storage.

A system comprising:

• one or more communication interfaces, wherein at least one communication interface is configured to receive location reports that are generated by a plurality of client devices, wherein received location reports are initially stored in a quarantine system;
• a location-history module configured to determine, from the location reports stored in the quarantine system, a location history associated with a first client device, wherein the location history comprises a plurality of location reports that are associated with the first client device;
• and
• a scrubber module configured to:
• (i) analyze the location history to detect one or more types of identification information, and remove or obscure detected identification information from the location history, and (ii) scrub at least one stop from the location history;
• wherein, in order to scrub the at least one stop, the scrubber module is configured to:
• analyze the location history to detect stops in the location history, wherein a stop comprises a plurality of location reports that indicate a substantial lack of movement by the first client device;
• and
• scrub the location history in order to obscure at least one location report that corresponds to the at least one stop;
• and
• wherein at least one of the one or more communication interfaces is configured to export the scrubbed location history to long-term data storage.