Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting More Out of Your Android Settings
Location Settings
Should you use Location or Shouldn't You?
There are many applications and websites that want to use your location data to help provide
you the desired information and, in many cases, to market to you based on that data. While
there are many legitimate uses like with Google Maps knowing where to mark your current
starting point on the map and authorities being able to find lost people from their phone sig-
nal, there are also privacy concerns that have been discussed quite a bit in the media. While
most trusted companies swear to protect your information, there is is always the possibility
of abuse. Books and Documentaries like
Terms and Conditions May Apply
have shown that
there are some really creepy things people can do using location and other data points that
you may freely give away with your cell phones. You know those little prompts that pop
up when you install an application? They tell you that you are giving certain permissions to
an application to use data from your device, and one of those categories can be your loca-
tion. In many ways, it has a definite factor of creepiness and personal security to consider.
Are you OK with sharing that kind of information with the companies behind the apps you
use? In my view, the important thing is that you are at least aware of what you are doing
with regards to your privacy for whichever way you choose to go. Another thing to keep in
mind though is that in today's age with so many surveys, forms, contracts, and agreements
which gather information that even the most security conscious person likely has sensitive
data stored somewhere about them. In other words, location tracking is only a tiny segment
of data tracking that has the potential for abuse. Beyond that, If you have no need for loca-
tion tracking, then turning it off can also help save your battery charge.
