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Cell phone Gps : safety or stalking devices?. By: Emma Barnett. Social/Ethical Concerns. Privacy and Anonymity. Stakeholder. Primary Stakeholder Cell phone owners The cell phone owners are being affected by stalkers using GPS signals from their cellphones.
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Cell phone Gps: safety or stalking devices? By: Emma Barnett
Social/Ethical Concerns Privacy and Anonymity
Stakeholder • Primary Stakeholder • Cell phone owners • The cell phone owners are being affected by stalkers using GPS signals from their cellphones.
Cell phone gps: How does it work? • GPS Satellites • GPS receivers rely on radio waves by communicating with satellites that orbit the Earth. There are currently 27 GPS satellites in orbit, but only 24 are active. The other 3 are back ups. Your location is determined by triangulating your signal between 3 satellites. • Cell Towers • Cell towers stay on the ground at base stations. They send and receive radio signals from a cell phone. This is not always exact because they only show which cell tower the cell phone is closest too. • Wireless Access Points • Wireless access points allow cell phones to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. WAPs perform modulation, which is the transfer of data in or out of the access point.
Cell phone gps tracking software • Video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XSugxl7n0U&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Location based services • Location Tracking • GPS enabled tracking programs provide the location of the cell phone coordinates. This can be automatically turned on by a cell phone provider. • Pay As You Go Tracking Programs • These programs must be downloaded and activated on the actual cell phone. The cell phone can then be located at any time by logging in online. • Friend Location Software • These programs are downloaded and turned on manually by the user. GPS records the location of the cell phone and the user can get game points for going to certain restaurants, stores, etc. Ex: Foursquare.
Social and ethical issues • Parents can track their kids without their knowledge. • Employers can track their employees without their knowledge. • Spouses can track spouses without their knowledge. • Stalkers can hack or install an app to get the location of a user without their knowledge.
Parents tracking kids • Positives • Parents know where their kids are at all times. • Parents could rescue a child in need. • Keeps kids safe. • Negatives • It usually costs money • Kids don’t always know they are being tracked. • Invasion of privacy.
Employers tracking employees • Positives • Employers can protect their business. • Employers can watch their employees. • Safety Reasons • Negatives • Employees have a right to privacy. • Employees may not know they are being tracked. • Employees often take their phones home
Spouses tracking spouses • Positives • Catch a cheating spouse • Safety • Negatives • Privacy Issue • Can cause marital problems
Stalkers stalking victims • Positives • Stalkers succeeds. • Negatives • Puts people in danger. • Makes problems for phone companies
Main concern of stalking • People are affected by stalking everyday. • Stalkers can access the GPS signal in a cell phone and stalk their victims even more efficiently. • The story of James Harrison
Solution • Mandatory notification of GPS activation. • Stronger government regulations regarding GPS policies in spyware apps. • Strengthening stalking laws to improve safety and regulation of technological stalking.
Strengths and weaknesses • Strengths • Taking the political route. • Protecting the rights of the victims. • Weaknesses • May take time to implement new laws and regulations. • Infringing on free market opportunities. • Even with strong laws, people will still break them.
Works cited • http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gps-phone.htm • http://www.pcworld.com/article/188274-2/gps_a_stalkers_best_friend.html • http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512581,00.html • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XSugxl7n0U&feature=youtube_gdata_player