Google Latitude Is Not Creepy

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I recently installed Google Latitude on my Blackberry.  My wife thought  that the fact that people can now follow me in real-time was very creepy.  She already thinks that Twitter is a bit like stalking.  I decided to ask my Twitter followers (this includes anyone that reads my status updates in various other locations) if they thought it was creepy.  I received five responses to my tweet: Google Latitude Cool or Creepy? All responders said it was creepy yet none of them actually use Google Latitude so their opinion is not based on the practical application of the technology.  It is clear that the notion of someone, anyone, being able to see where you are unnerves a certain portion of the population. 

As a user of Gooble Latitude I don’t think it’s Creepy because:

  1. only people you invite get to see your location
  2. you can turn it off at any time
  3. you can turn off or limit by user (exact location, city level only, or no location)
  4. you can “specify” a location.  

Could this technology be abused, absolutely.  Any technology is only as benign as the person using it.  Look at email.  It’s a great technology but I’m sure there is more than a little hate out there for spammers!

My take on Google Latitude is that it’s worth a look.  You can sort out for yourself whether you think it’s creepy or not.

What do you think, creepy or cool?  Leave your comments below.
[update] This post has been edited for clarity.
  • http://wordondigital.blogspot.com Gina Lijoi

    Are you kidding? This is super cool! Think of how it could be put to good use – mutliple families traveling together on a road trip in more than one car… Or maybe for someone who’s completing a charitable marathon, long-distance. Fans could stay updated 24/7. I love it!

  • Auntie Laurie

    This may be an acceptable alternative to inserting a GPS chip in my daughters when they start dating. :-)

  • Auntie Laurie

    PS: I’ve met way more interesting people in 2 weeks on Twitter than I have in years on Facebook.

  • Auntie Laurie

    not to mention that money I am saving on magazines

  • Rivers

    John… a few thoughts:

    1) You made a request to people regarding Google Latitude, and their thoughts on creepy vs. not. You then – using shoddy grammar, no less – comment that since they don’t use it, “how would they know?” This is a result of your own poor Twittering. You didn’t ask for the opinions of users; you asked for the opinions of anyone who read your feed. If you wanted a more specific sample size, you should have designed your question better.

    2) I’ve never used heroin or drank cat’s blood. I can assure that I am comfortable calling both of those ‘creepy’ as well, despite my lack of experiences. It comes from having read news articles, spoken to people and having a general feeling regarding what I believe is appropriate in society and what is not. Certainly, the comparison is stretched – but in this case, my point is to show I don’t need firsthand experience with something to have a valid opinion.

    3) The comment by Auntie Laurie – I hope jokingly – is precisely what it is that worries me (and possibly the other commenters). While you’re right, Google Latitude is user-controlled, the fear of parents eventually offering ultimatums (“Turn on Latitude or you can’t go out this evening”) is off-putting, and not all that unrealistic. Even in my lifetime, it became taboo within my (generally reasonable) household to take off without your cell phone. Good for emergencies, yes; good also for having a 500km electric dog-leash.

    4) I don’t deny that Google Latitude has some positive uses. So do nuclear weapons, narcotics and Michael Jackson. All of them, for various reasons still give me the heebie-jeebies – a sense that outweighs their (minimal) practical use.

  • John A. Robbb

    @Rivers

    1/ I said twitter followers because I didn’t want to get in to a long explanation of all the places my status messages are posted, like Linked in and Plaxo. Thank you for helping me clarify.

    2/ You think this things are creepy based on some understanding of the consequences. Well drinking blood is creepy and I have no idea what happens if you drink it. Every opinion is valid. It’s your point of you. The point of my post wasn’t to attack opinions it was to point out two things: I think Latitude is way cool and people are having a visceral reaction to a technology helps you and those you want to share it with. In other words it is NOT Big Brother.

    3/ Anything that is done surreptitiously is a concern of mine too. I don’t have a problem with the technology but how it may be used, or more accurately misused. That being said what have you got to hide? Is the problem that parents know where their kids are or that kids are somewhere their parents will hassle them about? So is it the knowing or the hassle that is the problem? I’m betting it’s the lectures that are off-putting.

    4/ That was another of my points. Any technology can be misused. We don’t, out of hand, hate: cars, telephones or airplanes yet all can be used to do bad things.

  • David Shatto

    I can’t wait until Google Latitude works on my iPhone!

  • http://www.johnarobb.com jrobb

    @David Shatto

    Google has just activated syncing between your location via Latitude and your status message in Gtalk. I commute to Toronto fairly often so my gtalk contacts will know now if I’m close to the office or not and they don’t even have to use Latitude.

  • http://blog.bitmand.dk/ Lasse Brandt

    I think Google Latitude is great – but I do have trouble finding friend/family that wants to use it :)

    Of course I don’t want to let the whole world view my profile. But for instance, when driving to pickup my wife, its great that she can see where I am and possibly get an idea of when I will arrive. In the end, the list of people I would accept to see my position isn’t very long – but its a great app :)

    As Auntie Laurie mentioned, with 2 daughters it might appreciate it even more when they start dating … in 20-25 years ;)