Do Location-Based Services Invade Privacy?
As location-based networks become more popular, the risk of sharing sensitive information increases as well. Though many lament the fact that so much personal information is available online, Foursquare’s Crowley said his service isn’t invasive. “We’ve been working on the project since 2001 and have checked in almost every day for the last 10 years, and the only bad thing that’s happened is an ex-girlfriend will sometimes show up where I am,” Crowley said. He emphatically noted that “Foursquare is not tracking you. You have to check in and voluntarily choose to make your location publicly available.” “At the end of the day, you have to be aware of what you’re doing online and the consequences of your acts,” said Kurt Opsahl, senior attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “It’s a matter of expectations. People want to tell their friends where they are,but, as PleaseRobMe points out, other actors may see personal information as well.” Although Foursquare users must volunteer to d
