News like se worries among data protectors like for gasp breathing: WhatsApp will share current location of its Nutzermit with its contacts. In or words, users can n track where individual friends are in real time — if y want to. What sounds like a privacy fiasco at first sight can be aberdurchaus useful.

Live location is called feature that WieWhatsApp writes in a blog post. So far, users could only send current location as a snapshot. The live site Wirddagegen over a longer period of time. It will take eir 15 minutes, eineStunde or eight hours. The attachment button allows you to activate in a chat or chat group. The transfer Kannjederzeit be terminated prematurely.

The friends get current location n a map appears. If several users share ir movements at same time, several profile images are also displayed, find n move in real time on map. So you can follow pretty closely, WelcherFreund, for example, already sits on way to party in train and who still Hausevor TV.

Location data is critical

Facebook, company behind WhatsApp, has been offering same feature in its messenger since spring, even one on Privatsphäreausgelegte Chat Service Telegram it contains. In June, Snapchat presented with SnapMap a similar feature that only transferred site if Nutzerdie app had also opened. The live location of WhatsApp Funktioniertdagegen is also in background. Also, GoogleMaps has supported live site since this year, Apple's imessages as well.

So feature is not really new, WhatsApp folgtvielmehr trend towards real-time tracking. or real-time monitoring, WieDatenschützer would say. The excuse that you are already on your way home, while you are still squatting in pub and have just ordered a new cold beverage, becomes more difficult if partner can simply demand: "Well, n just do live location."

The new live location feature in WhatsApp © screenshot/WhatsApp

Location information is among most personal data that users can send to einesSmartphones. Because y just show wogenau a person is at a certain time. This may, in turn, be used by various actors, such as advertising industry, authorities and to stalkers, and reveal complex motion profiles. It is refore recommended that you always turn off smartphone's location services if you do not need m (in Android under Settings-gt; Connections, in iOS under Settings-gt; Privacy) and also not to allow any app accessing to location.

End-to-end encryption also for live location

Reason to panic is new feature in WhatsApp but Nochlange not. Unlike some or apps that use location services, feature is relatively secure. On one, because live site and all messages are transmitted by end-to-end encryption. Only sender and receiver can see it, WhatsApp itself cannot gmm. And since setting is deactivated by default, existing users do not have to worry about update, which will be released in near term nachund.

On or, transmission remains limited in time; After eight hours it will be deactivated and anyone who wants to vorzeitigabbrechen it can do so at any time. So even parents cannot easily monitor ir offspring. Since control remains with users and y decide with whom y share ir location, stalking is restricted by third parties. The fact that function could be permanently activated one day will negate WhatsApp product manager Zafir Kha imconversation with IT portal Gadgets360. You can only see it at moment AlsKurzzeit service.

In best case, live location can also be useful. Freundekönnen, for example, can be found at festivals or or Großveranstaltungenleichter. If you're after a party on your way home, Kannseinen partners or parents will show you where he or she is. For such scenarios, re have been or apps for a long time, but with WhatsAppbekommt more than one billion users worldwide will be included in a Ihrerbeliebtesten application.

Date Of Update: 19 October 2017, 12:03