I want to make it harder for Google to track me while I use an Android phone 
Iâm not sure why everyone on this thread seems so keen to deliberately misunderstand the original poster.
In answer to his question, yes Monzoâs app will be making client-side calls to Google Maps from your phone to display the locations of the merchants. If thatâs something that concerns you then youâre right to be concerned.
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With the clarification that the calls are passing through the merchant POS terminal data as location information and are not using the location of the customerâs device.
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Sure but the OP quite clearly asked about âthe location of the storeâ, not the location of his device.
Yes, and they also ask if the queries are linked to their location. Itâs not a big deal, just covering all bases.
@tommy5dollar Thanks 
I was really just expecting a reply along the lines of âyes they make client side queriesâ or âno this happens server side without being linked to your accountâ. Iâm not sure why most of the answers were either mocking me, telling me how it doesnât matter since Google will track you either way or that I shouldnât care if I have nothing to hide.
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I say it happens client-side as 1. Monzo is dependent on Google APIs, including Google Maps and 2. Iâve never really heard of someone rendering Google Mapâs API on the server-side and then sending the image down to the client, not even sure if the license would allow it.
Oh, donât get me wrong, I want Google to have as much of my data as possible. I love having what ads I see properly targeted at me and what Google do with my data to help me (customisation on my phone, etc.) is great. Not sure why people couldnât answer the question though
Yeah thatâs fair, but the point is that it should be a choice. You should have the right for Google to collect your data, but you should also have the right for Google not to track you anywhere. Itâs still not as easy as checking a âplease track meâ box. Whilst Google does have options for targeting ads, they will still track you even if you opt out.
At the moment itâs more like fighting against them tracking you, rather than just opting out completely with a single click.
Will it though? Surely the app will make a request to Monzo to see if that merchant is already cached by Monzo (and letâs face it, most places will be). And surely it is the merchant location which is shown on a map, not the users location anyway. That is why some cinemas are show on the map as in London when they are actually in Scotland?
Just for the avoidance of doubt. It is not an image displayed on a transaction.
Monzo uses Googleâs Maps SDK, client side, and passes the location to the SDK to drop a pin.
So, Google will not receive any data as to whether a transaction occurred, the amount, date of a transaction or otherwise. They will just receive a request from a device to drop a pin (most likely using longitude and latitude).
A quick demonstration of the Maps SDK is in use, showing itâs not an image:
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A request from the Monzo app which they know is a bank and know the maps API is being used to identify transactions.
Not saying itâs a bad thing but if Google wanted to use that to target ads then theyâll use it.
All itâs going to do is tailor the ads you see around the web itâs not evil and the ads arenât peering into your life or taking over you.
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But thereâs no way of Google tying the Maps API call to a particular user, is there?
Google will forever be google and use as much data as they can. Ultimately if youâre concerned how google uses maps data, check their respective privacy policy.
As far as I see it, Googleâs Maps product in Monzo will be used via the Google Maps API which is a way a developer (Monzo) can pass data to Googleâs systems in order to return a map.
It is highly likely here that Monzo receives the merchant location data from the payment processing companies to which hold the merchant data. For example, an iTunes purchase has previously displayed a map for Apple in Ireland because that was the address Apple has provided their payment provider with.
If a smaller retailer has multiple locations, you might see a map for a different outlet but still the logo of the same company.
In summary, yes Monzo is passing Google the merchant location and Google is returning the map to display. The Google Api used here - which is in the public domain and just like Googleâs privacy policy can also be read within all documentation Google provide - simply asks for a latitude and longitude co-ordinate to which a pin must be placed on the map⌠along with the desired zoom level, and the latitude and longitude to centralise the map upon.
If Google could really be bothered to associate Monzoâs API calls as being a bank, theyâd only know the location geographically. They themselves would need to join the dots to work out if itâs a business or not. They wouldnât be able to associate it to a given product purchase though.
No one has said otherwise? The OP asked about merchant location, not the device location.
What exactly are you expecting Monzo to cache here? The map is being loaded off of Google with the merchantâs data (from Monzo), not from Monzo itself.
Google would easily be able to tie the Google Maps query to your device and therefore the associated user account. Itâs not really any different to going to Google Maps and typing in an address, other than it wonât appear in your history because mapping calls via API/SDK are suppressed.
Iâm not sure that Google really care if itâs a purchase or not, they advertise things youâve bought to you anyway (as they like donât know youâve bought them), as far as theyâre concerned a Maps search is you being interested in that location for some reason and they may tailor ads around it.
Iâm not 100% sure if Monzo just send the lat and long or not. I think thatâs likely correct although I know Monzo did use some other Google APIs a couple of years back to assist with identifying company resources like the address, etc. although Iâd imagine these are all server-side so shouldnât help identify what an individual user has been up to.
Iâm sure Google are sophisticated enough to link lat-long to a business (although sometimes theyâll get it wrong). Google have probably the best database in the world of merchants and their locations.
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In summary, google is a necessarily evil. Donât want to by tracked by them⌠lock yourself in a cupboard for the rest of your life 
it sounds like the OP has made several steps to hinder said tracking already.
Itâs not a necessary evil. We got on fine without them before they existed. and there are good alternatives out there for everything they do.
People are just lazy.
You say lazy I say more efficient.
It was a tongue in cheek statement. I use google as theyâre convenient. If people are aware of how they operate their business then theyâve nothing to really be concerned with. Yes they advertise, as do Facebook, but they make our lives a heck of a lot easier in modern day societies.
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