Is Google Latitude dangerous for privacy?

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February 04, 2009
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Comments (6)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | February 04, 2009 - 8:57am

From Google's perspective, they get more data (location) on you. Which i don't really mind (i get better search results). From our perspective, we fear our location data can invade our privacy in a bad way. Google isn't forcing this on us. If you don't like it, don't use it. They made the service extremely (too much so) customizable so you have full control of your location and who can/can't see it. BUT, the flaw is adding your own locations. That's just not cool. I will surely have fun globe trotting with this feature, but it serves no purpose other than deceiving.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | February 04, 2009 - 9:00am

so basically, if someone get's my google account, they can also enable GPS and turn off privacy, add themselves as a friend and follow me.

Yeah, stalkers everywhere rejoice. My psycho ex-girlfriend would have loved this.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | February 04, 2009 - 9:50am

If some hacked into your google account, you more likely will have problems more serious than an ex-girlfriend stalking you.

daPrinz (not verified) | February 04, 2009 - 10:37am

Dear Lord. Invasion of privacy from Googles side.
WTF?
I have tons of friends online that post every crap about their private lives online.
If you don't want features don't use it it's that simple. The same shit with Google maps. One of my friends in Germany laughs at me that I have no privacy since he can see online where I live. Problem is that he forgets he has about 100 pics on his Myspace with recent pictures of him, his house, his family etc. .. (and his account is open to everybody).

a person (not verified) | February 04, 2009 - 10:41am

I agree with daPrinz - there are sites where people are unfolding every detail of their lives into a database that sites on a web server somewhere. This is just another leaf on the tree. When we finally do run into a privacy issue though, the train wreck will only become more spectacular the further we go. There are always those who will use cool features for eveeeil...

sum guy (not verified) | February 05, 2009 - 4:50am

I can imagine that once a few people have made themselves visible in Latitude the pressure on the invisible ones (us) will rise and rise. I am sure you all heard stuff like: "Man, why aren't you in Facebook yet!?" Maybe it won't be Google Latitude, but in a few years by whatever means most of us will be trackable at all time, just because everybody else is doing it.