Facebook’s location tracking mobile app might raise privacy concerns

Facebook is creating a new mobile location-tracking app which will help you locate your friends even when the app is not switched on in the mobile phone. Facebook plans to release the app by mid-March. The new location-tracking app is bound to raise privacy issues as it is made to continuously track the user’s movements. Facebook’s intention behind launching the new app is to find a way to target advertising based on the places their users visit.

The new location-tracking app service is believed to help sell ads based on users’ whereabouts and daily habits. Sources from Facebook have cited the functioning of the location-tracking app, which is similar to that of Foursquare’s radar features, which track your location in the background, tipping you off when you’re near a friend. And then the two of you use Facebook Messenger to meet up, Facebook Camera to document it, and then Instagram to reminisce about it the day after. Maybe the app will even tell you when you’re near a friend-patronised restaurant or bar, giving you reason to dump your life into Graph Search results.

Facebook does not seem to be pausing with its apps as last month saw the social networking company update its internal search engine to allow members to search more easily through their friends’ profiles. Graph Search initially allows Facebook’s one billion members to search the social network’s vast database of people, photos, places and interests. Graph Search allows Facebook members to query Facebook using natural language rather than keywords.

A similar feature to the proposed location-tracking app, called “Find Friends Nearby,” was tested by Facebook in June, but quickly disabled it after startup Friendthem accused Facebook of infringing on its related service. The social network updated it privacy settings in December, adding shortcuts, an easily accessible Activity Log, and an update request and removal tool.