Google Latitude

[NiceCupOfTea]

What's it all about then?

Looked quite fun, so added it on my phone (Hero) in Google Maps. Haven't added anybody on it yet and will probably only add my wife.

Since then, however, I have been asked on various websites if I want to "share" my location with them!

Am I being paranoid or is this a little concerning?

I'm already a bit concerned by my email, mobile phone, youtube, facebook and God knows what other accounts being linked - it's worrying when the fact that I have received one email from somebody using google mail means that I get presented with a list of their favourite videos when I go to youtube...

I wish it was a bit easier to hide these accounts from each other, or limit who you share it with...

[FourWheelDrift]

You can hide your location from friends, or set a location of your choice in the settings.

Click "friends" then "privacy"

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Thursday 11th March 17:19

[NiceCupOfTea]

Yep, got that - but why are web pages asking me if they can take my location?

[FourWheelDrift]

I haven't come across that yet, only set it up myself yesterday.

What websites? On mobile or desktop?

[NiceCupOfTea]

Desktop.

So far, PH, google maps, youtube, uksaabs.co.uk. So every web site I've accessed since I switched my laptop on tonight.

Just did it again as I was typing that!

Text in the box is:

Popup said:

The website below wants to access information about your location using Gears.

Google Latitude
http://<randomnumberandletterstring>.ig.ig.g...
Google Latitude would like to detect your location.
Read the site's privacy policy to see how your location will be used.
I trust this site. Allow it to use Gears.

Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Thursday 11th March 18:24

[FourWheelDrift]

Odd, I set it up on my iPhone yesterday using my GMail log in and I have had Google (logged on) open many time today on Maps/Streetview with no requests.

And I've been through quite a few pages as well to enable the Latitude logging feature which I can then load into Maps.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Done a little searching and according to this page (almost at the bottom) it's due to me adding it to my iGoogle page I think, and shares my location according to my ISP with my friends. Not sure why it wouldn't just use my mobile phone for a location though...

[FourWheelDrift]

ah, now comes the trouble of trying to remove it and start again

[NiceCupOfTea]

Don't! Plus my wife has seen me swearing at the laptop and now refuses to install it on her phone (well, that's her story, more likely she just doesn't want me knowing where she is all the time! )

[NiceCupOfTea]

Well, have removed it from iGoogle, any way I can revoke permission for Latitude to use Gears. And does it really matter anyway?

[eharding]

NCOT

Any page that uses the Gears or HTML5 geolocation services (Android or iPhone) may end up meaning the browser will prompt you for permission to use them - nothing to do with Google Latitude.

Browser->Menu->More..->Settings->...scroll down....->Gears Settings will let you remove Gears access from any website on the Hero.