December 13, 2010

um, no thanks.

Here's the lede of the blog post announcing the new Google Latitude app for iPhone.

“Where are you?”

Starting today, you’ll never again have to answer (or ask) that question when you’re on the go with your iPhone. With the new Google Latitude app for iPhone, you can see where your friends are and now, continuously share where you are – even in the background once you’ve closed the app.

Is it just me, or is leading with this "benefit" incredibly tone deaf? The mainstream media is awash with stories about how consumers are being tracked eight ways from Sunday, and Google decides that continuously sharing your physical location with them is the best way to sell their new app?