Comments on: Geolocation Services Pose Huge Privacy Concerns

By: Murat

Murat — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:05:02 +0000

“It Can Be Manipulated
I met a guy who was developing a location based social networking client for mobile in the UK recently and he said that his wife used to use it to see what he was up to and to track his movements.”

Dude that isn’t a problem with the location based services/privacy, that’s a problem with the relationship.

By: Foursquare and Three Hours Ago | Ken McGuire

Foursquare and Three Hours Ago | Ken McGuire — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:03:07 +0000

[...] where the fear or security element may creep in. (See Niall H’s post from earlier today on privacy concerns ovre geolocation servies). A recent Christmas dinner with Keith, John and Frank Bradley arose conversation of social media [...]

By: Niall Harbison

Niall Harbison — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:42:45 +0000

Dave it sounds like everybody is happy with the settings on Foursquare and the fact that you can just leave your phone at home if you don’t want to be found. It’s not just services like Foursqayre but tons of others all asking for your location and I am worried that we all just end up forgetting about the provacyy settings like we have on other non location based social networks. The future is indeed very scary, but exciting as well!

By: Dave Doolin | Website In A Weekend

Dave Doolin | Website In A Weekend — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:34:29 +0000

Here’s my current thinking:

1. I don’t check in anywhere I’m not in the mood to socialize.

2. foursquare (at least) has privacy options.

3. Huge opportunity in this space for creating applications for refining privacy.

4. Sadly, even after checking in all over San Francisco Bay Area, I can’t honestly say anyone has actually approached me as a result. I’m not sure whether I should be relieved or depressed.

5. For me, anything I can do that increases my social skills is good. Which means handling emotionally uncomfortable and socially awkward situations.

6. Sometimes, I just leave my phone at home. Solves all sorts of problems.
6.1 I don’t feel the need to answer my phone on demand, thus my ringer is turned off, permanently. My friends are cool with this.

Good article. The future is scary.

By: Niall Harbison

Niall Harbison — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:53:41 +0000

Yeah that is the exact problem Henri. I have visions of me being in a restaurant in town and checking in and then a load of people I really don’t want to see coming in and saying hi and there being an awkward moment! Maybe I am over reacting a little but thats what I fear

By: Henri @ Wake Up Cloud

Henri @ Wake Up Cloud — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:13:41 +0000

I don’t see the use for these sort of devices. I agree with you Niall. I don’t want everyone to know where I am because I want to be able to choose who I meet and where, instead of people just barging in. It’s not so cool to have to tell everyone to bugger off

By: Niall Harbison

Niall Harbison — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:19:16 +0000

Yeah most of them are check in only but some do run all the time. The issue I would have is lets say you are using it in Belfast, small enough city and I see you checking in somewhere for a coffee, before you know it I could pop around the corner and I could be the last person you want to see right at that moment. Of course like you say just don’t check in but my own personal preference is to not use them at all so as nobody ever knows. There are of course some cool benefits like seeing what other people think but I am happy enough using plain old review sites for those sorts of things. Glad you are not checking in at home Things would be bad if it ever got to the stage where people felt that had to check in virtually to their own houses every day!

By: Phil

Phil — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:31:07 +0000

Am I wrong, but these apps don’t automatically update or track your location like a device planted in your jacket in the spy movies, flashing a red dot when you move on a device held by your other half/parents.

I was sceptical, though having seen others use it I see the purpose in them. It only updates when you select ‘check-in’ (though I’m not so sure about Locle, it seems to do it automatically when you open the app which I don’t like), and I’m not going to be checking-in at my own house, my friends house, my parents house etc. But it becomes useful when at the coffee shop, shopping centre, event, concert, hotel, bar, restaurant, train station etc. And I also see the value in the tips – best coffee, details of wi-fi, disabled access at a concert venue and so on.

If you’re concerned about your privacy then don’t update when you don’t want people to know where you are. Simple.