05 February 2009 | Author: O. Gaywood Media Optimiser

Latitude sparks a Google Backlash

Google's new Latitude service has come under criticism from critics saying that it jeopardises privacy.

Latitude is a service that can be used on smartphones that tracks your movements through GPS and can show friends where you are at any given movement. Worriers say that this technology could be used - or abused - by suspicious partners or paedophiles.

Simon Davies, director of human rights group Privacy International, said: "Many people will see this as a cool technology but the reality is it will be a privacy minefield."

Google has been quick to try to squash these accusations by mentioning the safety features available. Latitude will only track your position if you give it permission to and even then you can choose who can and cannot see where you are. Users can request to share positions which gives you three options - to accept and share back, to accept but hide your location or to simply not to accept.

Users are also offered the option to decide how much information they wish to reveal - you can show people the exact building you're in or, if you want a bit of privacy, you can display only the city you're in.

Status updates are also available to show what you're up to - if you're in the middle of a city with time to kill, a message saying you're looking for someone to share coffee with could get a response from one of your nearby friends who can then use Google Maps to get directions to your location.

Another privacy option available is the option to set your position manually. If you've told your partner that you're working late, but really you're going to a bar or to a hotel room with your mistress, you can simply tell your phone to show that you're still at work. This function begs that question: if people can fake their locations, how do you know when someone is actually where they say they are?

Vic Gundotra, vice-president of engineering for Google mobile team, wrote on the company's official blog: "Everything about Latitude is opt-in. You not only control exactly who gets to see your location, but you also decide the location that they see.

"For instance, let's say you are in Rome. Instead of having your approximate location detected and shared automatically, you can manually set your location for elsewhere - perhaps a visit to Niagara Falls."

One feature that seems to be overlooked by many online commentators is that being able to track where you or, more accurately, where your phone is could prove invaluable to people with a knack for losing their mobile.

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