New From Google… Latitude! For those of you who haven’t heard about the newest app out from Google, this nifty bit of cell hone software allows you to track where your friends and family are on a map in real time. Big Brother Google is now watching your every move. Granted, you do have to sign up, but am I the only one who is creeped-out by the idea of people being able to open Google and see exactly where I am? If I wanted you to know where I was, I would have called you and told you about it, I would have set my Facebook status to say, “John is at Disney World,” or I would have sent out a tweet on Twitter. The difference here is the always-on automated nature of Latitude. I choose to post information on Facebook and Twitter. I choose when to let people know what I am up to. Signing up for Google Latitude is consenting to allow your friends, Google, and God knows who else to track my location at any and all times. Sounds like an invasion of privacy to me!
I can see it now. In 5 years I will be writing about the newest bit of software from Google…. Google BodyMetrics! Just attach a tiny patch to your skin and all your friends can track everything about you! “I wonder if Dave has to pee? I’ll log on to his BodyMetrics site and see! Oh look Julie is hungry, no wait, she just started eating some carrots. Jim’s heartrate is currently 142 bpm. He’s working out!”
There is a point at which we need to step back and remember that privacy is important. Now it may see odd to be posting this in the same blog we use to tell you all about our lives, but remember, the blog only provides a glimpse into our lives. You don’t know everything. 🙂
Remember…
Hey, I see where you’re coming from, but it’s a voluntary service; no one will be forced to reveal their location via Latitude, or their biological status with Google Biometrics. 😀 Keep in mind that the government has this capability without your knowledge – that’s not tinfoil hat stuff, that’s NOW.
I’m wagering Google’s angle on this is to allow them to sell local ads. And by local, I mean, “Buy Google ads and send them to people who are within three blocks of my business.” If somebunny has to be Big Brother, better Google than, say, Exxon, or the Government.
But privacy is already gone, my friend. You can find out insane amounts of data about people already – $95 will get you a dossier on someone that has stuff in it THEY don’t know. And Moore’s law means it’s only going to get worse – as computers become faster and data storage becomes more massive we’ll see things like WalMart doing face recognition on every person who walks into their stores, tracking purchases and shopping patterns. If you think that’s very far away, note that iLife09 from Apple has face recognition software in it.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that you sign up for these services, and I won’t. But, I still manage to keep some semblance of privacy by avoiding signing up for these services. Also, yes the government can track my location if they so choose, but only if I carry a device that allows them to track me. If someone wants to fall off the grid, its possible… Just not easy or convenient.