Archives - Geolocation


Be careful sharing your location on WhatsApp

WhatsApp’s ‘live location’ feature is really handy for coordinating meet-ups or keeping track of where your friends or family members are. But be mindful of how casually you allow people to see your live location. You can limit the length of time that your phone continues to broadcast your location, so set it to automatically […]

Turn off location tracking for wearable devices

Wearable technologies – like watches or wristbands – can be great assets for fitness, productivity and health monitoring. But they also pose a considerable risk to both data privacy and personal safety. Many wearables track the location of the user, among other types of data. This information could be very dangerous if exposed to malicious […]

Be careful with Apple AirTags

Apple’s AirTag is a button-sized device that can be attached to things to keep track of them. They use Bluetooth and Near-field communication (NFC) to anonymously communicate with a nearby iPhone through Apple’s “Find My” feature. In doing so, they can be used to actively monitor the device’s real-time location. Although equipped with security safeguards, […]

Small businesses can install a geoblocking system to protect sensitive files

Geoblocking technology enables businesses to disallow access to data from outside their country or region. The same technology can put files on a locking system so that they cannot be accessed outside of regular business hours.

Never log your location in your Facebook posts

Facebook allows you to geographically check in as part of posting on the site. Never show off where you’re currently located on social media. Depending on your settings, anyone may be able to view this information. Not only does it give away your current location, it could tell the wrong people that you’re currently not […]

Carefully consider granting application permissions

Mobile apps often ask for numerous permissions, including access to your camera, contacts list and geolocation. Think hard before permitting them, since some applications only want these abilities for data harvesting purposes. For example, it’s not usually vital to give Facebook access to your location, or to let Instagram listen in on your microphone.