In this dawn of geo-tracking, many people are more likely to start out swapping data with friends and families. Already 25 million people have installed Facebook on their handsets.
And Google is pushing in the same direction. On Feb. 4 [2009] the search engine released Latitude, an app that lets people with high-end mobile phones share location data with friends. Users can check on their buddies stuck in traffic, sneaking out of work early, or catching a ball game. Latitude even provides directions on how to meet up with friends and contacts. . . .
The privacy implications are considerable. Is it OK for a boss to hand an employee a Latitude-loaded BlackBerry and then monitor her whereabouts?
Companies that operate fleets of trucks have tracked employees for years. But similar technology in cell phones would potentially let all sorts of companies monitor and measure employee movements. Latitude does offer cloaking options. A user can hide from certain people or ask to be located by city, not by street.

1. When employees are on company time they are fully accountable for their whereabouts. Geo-tracking is acceptable, with or without their knowledge.
2. Geo-tracking your employees is acceptable if they are fully informed about the technology.
3. If employees will be geo-tracked by their employer, then the employees need to fully participate in formulating standards and limits of use. What standards and limits do you recommend?
4. Hello, Big Brother. Geo-tracking employees is an unacceptable infringement of personal privacy rights.
5. Invent other options. Discuss.