Locational Privacy Under Assault
Where you are and when you are at a particular place is a question of locational privacy. The tracking of location is facilitated by technology that records activity in public spaces (CCTV) or entering and leaving mass transit systems, privacy establishments like sports clubs/gyms, and the use of personal digital devices like cell phones, electronic books, and portable computers. It is very inexpensive for corporations to track customers. How they use this information can impact the way they market products to users. Government access to that information may be more easily available because of state and local information fusion centers. Because of the broad adoption of technology that can support surveillance the need for limitations on data collection, retention, sharing, use and reuse are important privacy safeguards.
A Casualty of Technology Revolution: 'Locational Privacy', Adam Cohen, New York Times, August 31, 2009
