1.
Why do cell phone manufacturers (Apple, Google, and BlackBerry) want to track where their customers go?
Cell phone manufacturers want to track customer’s location because they can use information gathered to provide better services, identify poorly selling products and following customers buying habits. It also enables mobile carriers and retailors to identify when a unit is shipped received, returned and refurbished. In addition, manufacturers use tracking information to locate and identify cell phones to improve location-based services for customers. Manufacturers also use these tracking software as a means to distribute customer’s usage data for profit, even though these company deny that they sell this information to third party companies. Finally, location services allow providers to location customer’s lost or stolen cell phones.

2. Do you think cell phone customers should be able to turn tracking off? Should customers be informed when they are being tracked? Why or why not?

Yes, customers should be able to turn of tracking services on their device. Customers should also be informed that they are being tracked if indeed they are. This will ensure that users have some control over the data that manufacturers collect which helps to protect their privacy. Sometimes customers do not want others to know where they are or what they are using their devices to do. Apart from the fact that it is a vast invasion of privacy, it also makes it easy of customers to be targeted to receive ads they do not interest them. These ads can sometimes be very annoy and it decreases the user experience on the devices. Lastly, users are not aware that they are being tracked or they do not have the option to turn of tracking, they will be less likely to use smartphones with location-based services. Manufacturers will then have a bad reputation because they have poor relations with customers and consequently so will the product and users will stop using these devices. Consequently, sales of cell phones with location-based services may decrease or seize completely.

3. Do you think cell phone tracking is a violation of a person’s privacy?

Yes it is a violation of privacy. I think this is so because cell phones typically contain all a person’s usage data such as websites visited, products bought, who the person talks to most frequently, banking information, personal photos, frequently visited places etc. Cell phone tracking can also cause a huge problem even if we eliminate manufacturers from the equation. It can even allow unknown users to track another person’s location without the consent of that person which can ultimately provide easy means for others to cause harm to that individual. Tracking a person’s banking information also violate the users right to keep their financial records private and it can make it easy for other to perform identity theft.