Tracking position on smartphone: 1 benefit 10 harm

Since the advent of smartphones, location tracking has been used by users for a variety of purposes in everyday life. More and more apps rely on location tracking to come in handy.

But the potential behind this feature is a series of quite serious threats. When location data is compromised or leaked, users can suffer immense damage in both physical health and personal property.

Tracking position on smartphone: 1 benefit 10 harm Picture 1 Location tracking on smartphones implicit risks of insecurity and security

In this article, we invite you to learn how it works, the benefits and the potential risks of location tracking on smartphones. In addition, we will give you a few tips to help you reduce the risk of insecurity and safety when using this feature.

How does location tracking on smartphones work?

A smartphone can determine a user's location using three different methods. The first and most accurate method is to use the Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS device inside a smartphone can communicate with GPS satellites orbiting the Earth. Connected with 3 or 4 satellites, GPS can determine the exact location of the user.

The second method is to use mobile broadcast towers. By determining the signal direction and distance to the tower, the user's position can be estimated relatively. When adding two other wave towers to calculate, the user position will be determined close to the exact, slightly inferior to GPS.

The third method is to locate using WiFi connection, which is often used only to increase the accuracy of the two methods above. When you connect to a public WiFi network, the distance and direction of the wave will be used to determine your location.

Tracking position on smartphone: 1 benefit 10 harm Picture 2 User location data is usually sold to various brands

Benefits of location tracking on smartphones

Location tracking on smartphones is really a relief for those who need to find their way, find gas stations, restaurants or cafes. You can also order a car, order food or track exercise information with the help of this feature.

In an emergency, the location tracking feature helps a family member or lifeguard determine your location. It is also useful in case you forget or lose a smartphone .

Potential risks

When you tell an app your location, such as Google Maps, it knows where you are, for how long. Your location data will be collected by Google in detail, full of timelines.

Some apps even keep track of you even when you're not using it or out of its reach. For example, Finalcial Post editor James McLeod has been monitored 24/7 by the coffee ordering app Tim Hortons. Even when he went to Monaco to travel, the exact time and location of his meridian and latitude were still being watched by Tim Hortons.

More dangerous, all this happens without the user knowing. Besides Google, there are many companies that provide location tracking services and of course, they sell the data collected from users to a lot of applications without the user's permission.

Tracking position on smartphone: 1 benefit 10 harm Picture 3 Users are not informed that their location will be monitored continuously and location data will be sold

Users have almost no control over where their location data is going. This means that even an application you do not install on a smartphone will know where you live, where you work, where you go to eat, and when you are not at home .

The more companies and applications that hold your location data, the higher the risk of leakage. When leaking, users' security and safety, both their health and personal property are affected. 

There have been countless cases of surveillance, assault, kidnapping or theft because criminals can track a victim's location and travel schedule. What could be easier for criminals to know that the object they are targeting is moving to a deserted place. A house can be wiped out quickly if the thieves get to know when the owner leaves the house, when to return .

So how to use location tracking safely?

To safely use location tracking smartphone you can apply some of the following tips:

1. Do not hand over your smartphone to strangers or unreliable people to avoid tracking software installed
2. Turn off positioning when not needed
3. Turn off network connection when not needed
4. Check and remove unreliable location data collection applications

Like any other technology, you should use location tracking on your smartphone carefully and responsibly. Always make sure that your smartphone is only tracking and sharing the data that has the least impact on your life.