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Bell Labs Demos Cell Phone Location Software
mateub writes "AP via Yahoo reports that Bell Labs will soon announce cell phone software to reveal the owner's location to interested parties. To alleviate privacy concerns they say the software will 'let cell users be as picky as they choose about disclosing their whereabouts' but the article goes on to mention 'the ability for restaurants and other businesses to send a solicitation by text message to a cell phone when its owner wanders within range of those merchants.' Oh, wonderful, cellular popups..."
Where will it end? It just gets uglier. Location spam, how fun!
I'm not a big fan of this, however it could be nice for people if it is like GPS. And I could see people at local bars using the features to locate other 'singles.' Lots of possibilities.
When I was in Singapore about 18 months ago, they were starting to introduce location based services. They were tossing around ideas like an SMS 'discount voucher' being sent to you as you wandered near a store, but they also had practical stuff like I could call a particular number, and it would SMS me back with the location of ATMs for my bank nearest to my location. That was pretty handy.
You are right though. The system will be abused.
Ho! Haha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!
Criminal uses cell phone to call in kidnapping ransom. Police trace phone, find criminal + kid. Summer 2003
Kidnap victim memorizes rapists cellphone. Police check registry, find perp. Jun 2003
Kidnapped woman had cellphone hidden on person. Cops trace it to car, catch perp in parking lot. Nov 2003
And many more...