Although mobile phone GPS tracking has many advantages, there are also privacy concerns. Since most people carry their mobile phone with them at all times, there is the possibility to keep track of the exact movements of everyone. Is this a case of Big Brother and who can access this information?
GPS cell phone tracking can be useful in many areas of life and especially when an emergency arises. Imagine the scene of a traffic accident where injuries have occurred. A 911 call made from a GPS mobile phone would significantly speed up the arrival of emergency services if the phone’s GPS signal can be pinpointed to an exact location. This feature alone could save many lives.
For these reasons, the FCC has instructed wireless network providers to provide cell phone GPS tracking location information for 911 calls made by callers. This is known as E911. In essence, this is no different than a 911 call made from a landline, as the landline is registered to one address and relevant emergency services can be quickly dispatched to that address.
However, where the difference occurs is that a property does not move, but the tracking of a GPS phone records the daily movements of an individual, and that has raised concerns about the privacy of who can access such private information.
However, the relevant law related to E911 is quite explicit. It allows operators to provide tracking location information to third parties for e911 emergency calls only, however, not under any other circumstances without the consent of the mobile phone owner.
The privacy of the phone’s GPS tracking has also been supported by a number of recent court hearings. Recent court hearings have rejected requests from law enforcement agencies to obtain cell phone GPS tracking information from phone companies for suspects. The courts have ruled that Congress has not authorized the tracking of locations without actual evidence of wrongdoing and that probable cause is not sufficient reason for the release of records.
These events will ensure that the advantages of cell phone GPS tracking are not compromised by privacy concerns and that its future and long-term usefulness are secured.