Ever Heard of Google Latitude?

Have you ever used Google maps? It’s a nice compromise between you standard road map and a GPS. Their latest little baby is Google Latitudes, a nice little feature in Google maps that allows you to share your location with your friends. This article focuses on the privacy aspect of Google Latitudes. Your location is not shared automatically. It’s only if you start to use latitude and you invite your friends to share your latitude. You have 3 options when someone invites you to share: accept and show your location, accept and don’t show your location or refuse the invitation. Another very important feature is in the privacy menu, you have yet again 3 options. You can set it so it detects your current location automatically, you can set a location manually on the map, or you can hide your location. This can be a very handy tool to know where your friends are at all time. This can also be a very dangerous program. If you share your location with friends that are not really your friends they can know where you are, stalk you, rob your home, etc…
What is very interesting is that Google stores your location on a server when you select detect location or enter a location manually. What can Google do with this information? I have yet to research if they have the right to sell this information for commercial purposes. If you are on Google latitudes and on Facebook then your whole life is pretty much on the internet.
I can see that this feature could become very useful in certain circumstances. No more calling up your friends for directions, meet multiple friends at different locations easily, etc… Personally, I don’t think that I will use this feature as it seems to have too many potential risks. If anyone uses Google Latitude and wishes to talk about his/her experience, don’t hesitate to do so.

Protect Your Privacy When Using Google Latitude,
By Adam Pash, 5:30 PM on Wed Feb 4 2009, 7,965 views