The Myth of Location Privacy in the United States: Surveyed Attitude Versus Current Practices

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2013

Department

Geography and Geology

School

Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences

Abstract

In the United States, legal steps have been taken to protect personal privacy, which is viewed as an individual's fundamental right. Location privacy (i.e., protection of personal and location information), however, has not received equal attention in the legal system. Given the recent popularity of location-based services (e. g., cell phones), it is possible to obtain an individual's location information easily and precisely. An investigation of public perception of privacy in the United States indicated that survey responders (1) were unaware of legal implications of location privacy violation and (2) believed that there should be location privacy protection similar to that provided by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Publication Title

Professional Geographer

Volume

65

Issue

1

First Page

47

Last Page

64

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