By: Emma Barnett

CELL PHONE GPS: SAFETY OR STALKING DEVICES?

Privacy and Anonymity

SOCIAL/ETHICAL CONCERNS

Primary Stakeholder Cell phone owners The cell phone owners are being affected by stalkers using

GPS signals from their cellphones.

STAKEHOLDER

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: HOW DOES IT WORK?

Videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XSugxl7n0U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

CELL PHONE GPS TRACKING SOFTWARE

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.

LOCATION BASED SERVICES

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.

SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES

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.

PARENTS TRACKING KIDS

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

EMPLOYERS TRACKING EMPLOYEES

Positives Catch a cheating spouse Safety

Negatives Privacy Issue Can cause marital problems

SPOUSES TRACKING SPOUSES

Positives Stalkers succeeds.

Negatives Puts people in danger. Makes problems for phone companies

STALKERS STALKING VICTIMS

People are aff ected by stalking everyday.Stalkers can access the GPS signal in a cell phone

and stalk their victims even more effi ciently.The story of James Harrison

MAIN CONCERN OF STALKING

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.

SOLUTION

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.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gps-phone.htmhttp://www.pcworld.com/article/188274-2/

gps_a_stalkers_best_friend.htmlhttp://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512581,00.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XSugxl7n0U&feat

ure=youtube_gdata_player

WORKS CITED