It's funny, the launch of latitude provoked mixed reactions in the blogosphere, with some people arguing that google knows enough about us, that it doesn't need to know where we are on top of that.
First, latitude will spot your exact location if you enable GPS tracking in your phone settings (which is extremely battery-consuming), and if you don't have a roof over your head. It can also detect your location through your laptop, if a recent version of Gears is running on it. In addition to this, I have been playing around with latitude yesterday night with a friend who also has the G1, and there is a lag of about 10 minutes before Google Maps shows your accurate location on a map.
Other people on the Web don't like the idea that you could be walking in a friend's neighborhood without the intention to stop by his house or something. I am sure that your friend will cry all night in his pillow if you didn't come by to say hi and have a beer.
However, those defensive reactions made me wonder: With all the personal information we share on google, facebook and twitter, amongst others, what's the big deal about letting people know where you are? Is our location an intimate part of us that we don't like to share with just anybody?
If a cultural psychologist were speaking on that debate, he/she could argue that, yes, in a way, sharing our location is a way to communicate our intentions, our actions. Cultural psychology considers that our surrounding environment defines us (which I couldn't agree more with). Maybe this paradigm can be applied at a micro-level too: Where I am at a given time hints others on my actions, and therefore on the thoughts that guide those actions, thoughts I believed no one else but me could hear.
Still though, I always consider that my intentions are pure (well you see what I mean). Therefore I have 0 problem sharing it with others, whoever they might be.
Some also argue that it could be bothersome if your wife spotted you at your mistress' appartment. I say, man it up, if you have some dirt on your hands, face it instead of thinking that you can get away with it!
sent from my mobile
