Google tries location-based social networking with Latitude

Google has leveraged the social networking aspects from some of its products and introduced Latitude, a location-based service built on Google Maps. Friends can share their general or specific location with others, and all you need is a Gmail address or Google Account to sign up. Somewhere on a map, Facebook and MySpace are eating their hearts out.

Google tries location-based social networking with Latitude - Ars Technica

Privacy Lobby Slams Google Latitude

Google Latitude, which uses GPS to allow you to track people from your mobile phone of desktop PC, is under fire from privacy campaigners. They say that Google Latitude could be used to spy on unsuspecting users.

Latitude is a free tool that works from smartphones and PCs. With Latitude installed, users can use GPS and Google Maps to track other friends who are using the service. Crucially, to be tracked, people have to sign up for Google Latitude. They can also limited exactly who can track them, and where they can be tracked.

This has not placated privacy campaigners, however. Privacy International director Simon Davies said: "Many people will see this as a cool technology but the reality is it will be a privacy minefield. I would be concerned about any integrated use across Google services as their security is so poor and it's becoming the world most pervasive system."

Privacy Lobby Slams Google Latitude - Business Center - PC World

some sites had already launched this feature.