GPS Tracking

Cell Phones Used for Nefarious Purposes

Who is at Risk?

Source acquired via Toronto Sun, Toronto, Canada, April 29, 2010 – Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Vancouver have begun to question the safety of GPS-equipped cell phones. Almost every Smartphone now comes with a GPS locator or GPS tracking application, and this (warns RCMP) can lead to stalking, abuse, and other crimes. Recently, a 54-year old man was charged with illegal sexual acts after he traced a teen boy using a GPS tracking cell phone application.

Safety Measures?

The application was developed as a dating tool for gay men. The application promises to find gay men within a certain area, and it lives up to its promise by tracking fellow users down to the last foot. When two users are in the same area, the application can pinpoint the exact location of any user. This is precisely how the 54-year old man in question found his teenage victim. (more…)

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When a consumer is researching Global Positioning System (GPS tracking) technology, the question of legality often is raised. Can drivers’ whereabouts be logged without notification? If they are notified, is their consent required?

The laws on vehicle tracking might differ from state to state, and so might any individual’s interpretation of them. The majority of companies selling vehicle tracking systems advise that the buyer seek legal counsel and/or consult local authorities about the devices. Ultimately, the user is responsible for its appropriate use.

Under most circumstances, GPS tracking is permitted with the consent of the vehicle’s registered owner. This covers two of the most common scenarios for using GPS tracking systems: In small businesses and private households.

Business and fleet management

Companies lose money each year due to poor productivity. Anyone who has ever managed a workplace will agree that people find ways to make company rules and policies work more to their advantage.

Executives are getting serious about uncovering policy-abusers, and they feel more comfortable when they have GPS data as evidence against lawsuits or investigations that result from a termination, reported the “2007 Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey,” (conducted by the American Management Association and the ePolicy Institute.)
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