Facebook "Nearby Friends" Lets People Track Your Precise Location

[Happiness Assassin]

Frankly I am just surprised they haven't done this sooner. Facebook is notorious for selling info on users and this isn't nearly the first app to broadcast location data. I remember a flashlight app (which only turned the backlight on the phone) which broadcast the location data, sold your info, checked your search history, and even your messages. People just need to make sure of what they are agreeing to.

 

[Falterfire]

Man, being an optimistic futurist would be so much cooler if people could be 100% counted on not to be dicks and abuse whatever you gave them. But no, we have this whole 'realistic human response' thing that means that anything that could potentially be abused will be abused. (Also in this category: Unmanned drones, pretty much everything Google is researching such as Glass)

Alright, new futurist goal #1: Replace everybody with perfectly benevolent cyborgs. What's the worst that could happen?

 

[Roxor]

Eat your heart out, NSA. Facebook is way more evil than you.

This is why Android desperately needs the ability to simply deny certain privileges to certain Apps, whether they request it or not.

Damn right. Requiring an explanation of exactly what each permission is needed for would be nice, too.

 

[Braedan]

Why the fuck would I need this?
If I wanted to go somewhere with a friend, I would invite them out. Obviously Facebook wants to get more ad info, but will anyone use this? Battery drain.

 

[Nowhere Man]

An excerpt from a conversation between a father and son 20 years in the future.

"Hey dad tell us again about this thing you use to have called.. what was it? Privacy? lol"
"Ah yes, there was a time when you could go wherever you want, be wherever you want and even for a brief time surf the pre- Comcast cable owned TV-net without having your whereabouts tracked, monitored, profiled and stored in data servers to be sold off to the highest bidders in the name of "security" and targeted advertising for crap we don't need.
It was a great time indeed son, a great time."
"Pfft. You're such an old-fashioned downer. Why would anyone want to live like THAT?"

Let me guess, whenever the next 'simplified' privacy controls are rolled out, this will quietly be switched to 'on' by default.

I bet at some point at some revision this is exactly what will happen. In the meanwhile like others said if you're not cool with this just don't opt in or just turn your GPS off.

 

[Strazdas]

my GPS and internet connection is on only when i want it on (not that i use facebook anyway, but in theory).
GPS alone would not give you precise location - it cant. the satellites intentionally randomize the location a few meters. this was done so no home-made GPS navigated bombs could be made to hit precise targets, as after all we are using military sattelites when we use GPS. Internet-GPS, well, good luck paying for that if you keep that on and it keeps checking.

This wont work till cheap mobile internet is around anyway, no need to panic.

That being said, i would have LOVED to know where some people are because when you organize a meeting and they are late i would definatelly want to know just how far they are and if they are even coming anyway.

I'm curious who this thing is actually for...

You go on a trip and have a large park/museum. your frineds have different interests so you split up. now you can easily find eachother when needed.
you organize a meeting and a friend is late. is he coming, is he far? you can now see!
Has you coworker left work already or are you able to meet him if you wait by the front door? well, now you can know.

there is plenty of legitimate uses.

also what riverwolf said.

There are simpler programs out there for phones that do the exact same thing, minus displaying the targets location to everyone of course.

the article clearly states that you can chose whom to display the location to.

This is why Android desperately needs the ability to simply deny certain privileges to certain Apps, whether they request it or not.

this, also force the developers to actually state the intent and have more categories. a program that needs to save data so i can do a "SAvegame" needs to be granted permission that could lead to it deleting all of my data. the permission as it is now is better than nothing but its way way outdated for user needs.

Alright, new futurist goal #1: Replace everybody with perfectly benevolent cyborgs. What's the worst that could happen?

welcome to the club. may our inperfect bodies last long enough to transform our conciuosness into a machine to rule them all!

 

[YodaUnleashed]

Great feature for would be assassins!

 

[OldNewNewOld]

Makes me wonder why people were surprised about the NSA stuff.

Facebook and other social media has been far, far more creepy for way longer. At least the NSA doesn't make that information available to the public.

P.S. Not defending them; they're assholes too.

Because facebook is opt-in and gives you something in return while the NSA takes everything, gives nothing.
While I don't plan on using this, I can see it being useful in meeting up with friends. Just send them a map with your location with one click and they will know exactly where you are right now.
It could be useful for parents to "track" their kids, but some people might say that's immoral which I strongly disagree with.

This has some up and down sides. NSA has only downsides.

I'm not defending facebook. I'm defending the idea. Facebook is certainly going to implement it badly and it will get the hate it deserves, but if done right, it could be good.

 

[Flames66]

That being said, i would have LOVED to know where some people are

I'm going to post how I would respond if someone asked me to use this for the reasons you stated. (Disclaimer: these are my responses only, others can do what they like)

because when you organize a meeting and they are late i would definitely want to know just how far they are and if they are even coming anyway.

"If you want to know where I am, call me and ask. If I'm willing to tell you at that time I will.

You go on a trip and have a large park/museum. your frineds have different interests so you split up. now you can easily find each other when needed.

"I will be at this place *points to map* in an hour. If you want to find me again, meet me there."

You organize a meeting and a friend is late. Is he coming? is he far?

Either call me and ask or wait.

My personal information, including but not limited to:

@ Location
@ Phone number
@ Email address
@ Home Address
@ Interests
@ Job

These are nobodies business but my own. If someone wants to know any of them, they have to ask me and I will consider telling them. The conversation might go thus:

*Ring ring ring ring*
Me: Ahoy hoy
Friend: Yo man, where are you?
Me: Why?
Friend: Um, just wondering if your in town and want to join me for a drink?
Me: Not today my fine fellow, I'm doing other things. I'm about tomorrow if you want to meet then?
Friend: Ok, let's do it then. What are you doing today?
Me: Bye.
*Click*

 

[Shymer]

I'm curious who this thing is actually for...

Facebook? Your location data has a value. Facebook aim to sell it to companies who are interested in your location for money.

All they are trying to do is come up with 'features' that might make you want to give them that valuable data for free. However those features seem to be more of a side-effect than having any actual utility.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Ugh, no. I don't like people knowing what I'm doing all the time. I don't even like when games and services don't have an appear offline feature or the ability to set that to the default. It's especially not good when you have a significant other or friends whose feelings you don't want to hurt. I like my me time, and I don't want anyone to know when I blow them off just because I don't feel like dealing with them. Most people would probably take that personally.

Also GPS shit drains your battery faster so fuck that.

 

[Mortuorum]

I'm curious who this thing is actually for...

Facebook? Your location data has a value. Facebook aim to sell it to companies who are interested in your location for money.

Yes, it's for Facebook. To boost ad revenue.

If you think FB has done anything in the last five years that wasn't implemented primarily to boost their bottom line, you're kidding yourself.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

There are simpler programs out there for phones that do the exact same thing, minus displaying the targets location to everyone of course.

the article clearly states that you can chose whom to display the location to.

That's for specific locations, general area is still to everyone and you can bet that info will be 'available' for 'people or companies of interest' in the near future.

 

[loa]

Who needs this?
Who other than facebooks ad sponsors and the NSA was this made for?

 

[Kenjitsuka]

A horrific "feature".

"The "precise location" broadcast only lasts as long as you allow it to, and only gets sent to the people you choose. "
Sure, except Facebook and the NSA and hackers will likely be more interested in continually ab-using this...

 

[Qizx]

Words can't describe how against this I am. But as far as I can tell this only works if you have FB installed on your phone, correct? Unless it also tracks you based on using the FB chat app then we have a problem. Or if it tracks you using the Facebook page via your browser.

 

[Hero of Lime]

Or you could just text them and ask where they are. I know this sentiment is has been voiced in this thread, but just to say it again, who needs this? Seriously, who is so dependent on knowing every little thing about their friends that this app would be a good thing?

Well, I guess stalkers have another tool on their arsenal now.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I rarely used Facebook, but now I now for a fact that it will become the less visited place for me.

Last thing I want is to get stalked.