Most of us have probably used Google Maps to navigate to our destination and that right there is a Tracking Technology.
Most people don’t even know that they are being tracked for the services that they are using e.g. Google Maps utilizes the Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver on your mobile phones to track you and send you your location information.
Isn’t that an infringement of privacy?
I agree to a certain extent that tracking the location of an individual is an outright infringement to the individual’s privacy but most services / applications that utilizes the location service on your mobile phone will in fact, ask for your consent first.
Many people, including me wouldn’t be comfortable knowing that our location is being tracked. It feels like there is a pair of eyes keeping a watch on me and I am unable to relax and have to be cautious about my actions.
So why do people give their consent to be tracked anyways?
The Location Service available to us is named SERVICE for a reason. Applications utilize location services on our mobile phones to provide convenience and improve our quality of life. Google Maps is a prime example of an application that most people would give consent to in exchange for the services.
It is bloody expensive to constantly to do location tracking! Your device may be able to provide your location information but that location information will still have to be uploaded to cloud servers to be processed to become useful (or to stalk you). It cost SO MUCH bandwidth (which means a lot of money) and battery to just upload the location information to the cloud servers, it is really not worth it to just track you for no clear reasons.
Most applications will stop tracking you when it stops running or when your location service is switched off on your mobile phone.
If a company is implementing a regulation to track their staffs’ location, trust me, they probably can’t be bothered to know where the staffs are. They are either just trying to comply with government regulations during this COVID-19 pandemic or ensure the safety of their employees. The staffs are probably being tracked every hour only? Or even only when staffs enter or exit a specific area in the office (Geo-fence). Because of how expensive it is to upload and download location information.
Of course there are situations where constant real-time tracking is required and the companies will have to bear the costs as their employees may be carrying out mission critical operations, etc. e.g. Military forces.
The bottom line is that you do not have to worry about having your privacy invaded by being tracked. It cost a bomb to do location tracking and your consent is required. So unless you are wanted by the FBI or a famous KPOP Celebrity, no one is interested in your location (except for RICH Sasaeng Fans for the KPOP Celebrities).