The School of Mobile Vol. 2 - The Detail
Challenges to using LBS remain. LBS technology is only as good as its accuracy. Global
posi�oning system (GPS) chips provide loca�on informa�on to the LBS systems in today’s
handsets. Line of sight to the GPS satellites is required for the handset to determine the
user’s precise loca�on. If a GPS signal cannot be found, then loca�on can be determined
by calcula�ng the handset’s proximity to cellular towers. All these factors directly affect the
usefulness of LBS. If a handset cannot pass on accurate loca�on informa�on to a mobile
applica�on, such as a travel applica�on, a game, or a retail store app, the usefulness of LBS
becomes greatly diminished. The mobile handset industry needs to refine GPS antennas and
chipsets to improve accuracy and recep�on of GPS signals.
Privacy is also a concern. Misuse of LBS informa�on could pose safety risks to consumers.
It can also expose them to unwanted and inconvenient solicita�ons. There are also more
mundane concerns such as not wan�ng certain friends to know of a person’s loca�on. As
long as mobile applica�ons communicate to the user the status of LBS technology in use,
over �me, LBS will become an indispensible feature in mobile handsets.
(Source: Alex Zaltsman, CEO, TourSpot)
Dealing with privacy concerns over LBS
Understandably privacy with respect to LBS is a concern. LBS depends primarily on trust. It is
necessary to be very transparent in terms of how the service works, explaining how the loca�on
informa�on will be used and allowing scalable privacy se�ngs so that a user can select a level of
privacy that they are comfortable with. It is noted that privacy in terms of LBS has worked on an
opt-out model i.e. you are sent a request saying, unless you check this box, you indicate that you
are happy for us to share your loca�on informa�on.’ This means that by default you are in and
assumed to be happy to make your loca�on and context informa�on public. It should really be an
‘opt-out’ model as the default se�ng.
People should consciously choose to share their loca�on informa�on, lower their privacy barriers
and accept the benefits of being loca�on-aware. They need to be in control of the process and their
own privacy se�ngs at all �mes. It should not be assumed that people are happy to do so. Ensuring
these models are in place will minimise the chance of a travel company making a mistake when
offering an LBS and betraying the trust of a valued customer.
Loca�on, however, is not really different to other types of informa�on about themselves that
people have chosen to upload to the internet over the recent years, but people are more sensi�ve
to physical pinpoin�ng of �me and space in the real world. There is always a trade-off between
privacy and u�lity that individuals need to make for themselves.
In order to ensure that LBS con�nues to move forward it is necessary to offer highly tailored, specific
value proposi�ons that offer high levels of u�lity while taking account of and directly addressing
peoples’ privacy concerns.
(Source: EyeforTravel insights from ‘Being Loca�on Aware’ Mashup Event, March 2009)
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