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Firefox Add-On To Track Your Location Via Wi-Fi

Posted by timothy on from the location-aware dept.

Barence writes "Mozilla Labs has unveiled a new Add-on that allows Firefox to pinpoint your location based on Wi-Fi signals. The feature, called Geode, is a prototype for the location-tracking technology that will be built into the forthcoming Firefox 3.1. Geode is designed to work with websites that rely on knowing your location, such as mapping and geotagging services. The prospect of Firefox having the ability to track your location raises obvious privacy fears. Mozilla insists users will remain in complete control. 'With Geode, when a website requests your location a notification bar will ask how much information you want to give that site: your exact location, your neighbourhood, your city, or nothing at all,' the Mozilla Labs blog claims."

8 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Big Brother is like a fox on fire by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 5, Funny

    And twice as annoying.

    Excuse me while I install this on my son's laptop ... without him knowing.

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    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:Big Brother is like a fox on fire by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Dad, stop messing with my laptop.

  2. They'll never track me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm wearing my tinfoil underwear.

    Oh crap, this means I need to wear underwear at the computer.

    1. Re:They'll never track me by nahdude812 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Let's see, based on nearby access points, I'd say you're on Linksys Avenue, Linksysburgh, Linksys County, LI.

      --
      Slay a dragon... over lunch!
  3. Going back to hard-wired connection by TheNecromancer · · Score: 5, Funny

    I sure hope Best Buy still sells that 2-mile long ethernet cable...

    --
    Attention all planets of the Solar Federation! We have assumed control! - Neil Peart
    1. Re:Going back to hard-wired connection by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'd tap that! Wait...

  4. Alright! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now I know exactly where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is!

  5. Tracking an IP by fireheadca · · Score: 4, Funny

    Then I'll create a GUI interface in Visual Basic and see if I can track an IP address