I'll "GPS" you!
By candymarie
@candymarie (1368)
Canada
April 16, 2009 11:49am CST
I think it's cool that we have the technology with our cell phones, to be able to locate someone via GPS, Global Positioning Service, with their cell phones.
With my cell phone company, Bell Mobility, for just 5 dollars a month, ANYONE, family members, friends, stalkers, boyfriends, ex-boyfriends (stalkers again lol), can track me down, like verify my "alibi" if you will in a sense.
The benefits? Well I could be abducted, lost, NEED something to back UP an alibi, OR someone could have taken my cell phone, "Here Officer, the people who took my phone are here! HAVE FUN!".
The not-so-benefits? Uh, Stalkers, someone knowing what I do in my spare time, especially when they don't NEED to know what I'm doing, those can be endless and creepy.
BUT, what their selling point on this is, "So you know where your kids are", Let's say you want to know if they really went to school, if THEY got abducted, anything else in regards to your kids, granted if your kids are bad, good for you to try to rope them in, but kids are smart, ESPECIALLY the sneaky ones!
They could easily pass the cell phone to a friend who is going to school, they have their alibi.
Wow, giving parents another reason NOT to trust their kids, nice. Even if the kid is a GOOD kid, some parents will do this.
What are your opinions for this? Pro or Cons?
2 people like this
5 responses
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
21 Jul 09
I am not sure if loosing my privacy is good for me. My mobile company has the system in place already and they can truck me if needed...I guess...so I don't have to pay for...I have nothing to hide, but yes, former boyfriend may want to know what I am doing...
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
21 Jul 09
Yes, the mobile company DOES have the ability to track you down if need be, but that is only for times of emergency, like you're kidnapped, and the police/government/whoever, has to call them, and I'm positive there's a protocol, which would involve the higher ups.
Meaning your ex boytoy can't just call up and say, "Hey, I'd like to know where this person is." Agent, "One moment sir while I boot up the system..."
Yeah, the mobile company does NOT (and SHOULD not) have the liability to do this freely, unless you activate this is for yourself, or whoever is younger (for example your kids, if yah had any) so that you can look up the location of said activated phone.
@youless (114117)
• Guangzhou, China
21 Jul 09
You are right. GPS is so cool. My cellphone is Samsung I900 and it has GPS. I like to take advantage of it as I don't know more roads. It is easy for me to get lost. Now when I go to my friends' home, I will mark down their location by the GPS so that I can go there again next time without problems. Besides, the map is in good detailed. And I can find the restaurants or some interesting places easily.
I love China
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
21 Jul 09
Um....please read the actual topic.
And yes, GPS is amazing, but I wasn't talking about the road way system itself.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
16 Apr 09
How much chance is there that you are going to be abducted? How much chance is there that your child will play fair and carry their phone at all times? These are the questions I would ask for a charge of $60.00 per year. I admit that isn't much but I also don't want a feeling of false security when it comes to my Kids.
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
20 Jul 09
That is TOO true! I hate how insurance companies in general get attached to the childrens area, they make you over paranoid, and whenever (in the very RARE chance) I happen to hear the parents talking to their contact in regards to the "insurance", I usually have to bite my lip when they bring up something ridiculous like, 'in the unfortunate event your child drowns on school grounds...' well...actually I would step in for that example, which I actually did, because the parents were about to get that option, I said, "Um, their school doesn't have a pool...shouldn't you be sitting down with the teacher or vice principal in the least while going over this in regards to the school?"
It's a sin when the babysitter knows more about the school than the parents, but can you really blame them when they are both working professionals?
Thanks for responding, sorry for the late response and happy myLotting!
@sassy28 (834)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Not sure I would like this. It would be like having someone watch you all the time. Not that I am doing things I should not be doing. I am just a basic cell phone user, make and receive calls. I don't need all the extras. My kids love to take pictures with mine, but I am to cheap to email them.
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
20 Jul 09
Good to hear you're not doing anything illegal lol.
Well some of their plans, like the one I'm currently on, costs me 55/month, which may seem a lot, BUT, I only have a cell phone, no landline, because in my house we don't need one, which consists of 6 working professionals all from different parts of the country, and we TRIED the landline, but then some refused to pay it because they claimed to have never used the landline, which was mostly for long distance, even though there was a bunch of different calls. So that was scrapped, and with my plan, I have the "Fab 5", where I can use to add 5 phone numbers, which includes landlines! So it's the perfect number for me and my family, and 1 friend whom I talk to all the time who is also, unfortunately, under the "long distance" variety. But I get it for free, meaning not charged long distance. My plans also has free text messaging, free browser, free video and picture messaging. A lot of nice perks.
Maybe you should check it out, it might just be an extra 5 bucks a month, because you never know when you need to snap a picture and all you have is your cell phone.
Thanks for responding, sorry for the late response, and happy myLotting!
@user_786 (1338)
•
16 Apr 09
i think the network operators would allow us to do that becasue it has a link with security problem. what if you do not want anyone to locate you?
actually, this technology is available by many mobile network operators and i have used it too. what you can do with it is that you send a message to someone and he has to reply with Y or N to allow you to see his or her location. If it is Y, you will get all the positioning of that person.
To this extent, it seems to be good but making it available for people to use freely isn't a good idea becasue people will misuse it.
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
20 Jul 09
Heaven to betsy! I wasn't notified about anyone responding!!
And yes, you are quite correct that no one should have this technology freely.
But I would assume that the mobile companies would set up a security system of sorts, just like the one you described.
Thanks for responding, sorry for the late response and happy myLotting!
