Hey, you know how everyone is always really concerned about how Facebook deals with personal data on its billions of users? Well, outcry from privacy advocates doesn't appear to affect the company's plans much. A new report claims Facebook is developing a new application to track your every move, even when you're not using the Facebook app.
Speaking to Bloomberg, two sources claim Zuckerberg and company are working on a way to track your physical location via smartphone, sending you location-specific ads and even letting Facebook friends see your whereabouts.
At this point, we don't have any specifics on the alleged app, like whether or not this is just a heightened version of Gowalla. That company, along with location-tracking company Glancee, are now both owned by Facebook. Former engineers from both social networks are said to be working on the rumored Facebook tracker app.
One of the more curious developments, though, is the idea of Facebook being able to track you in the background of your iOS device. Essentially, it sounds like your location could be displayed, without your knowing, assuming functionality isn't turned off.
Bloomberg notes Facebook's data usage policy may already allow for such tracking. One portion of the policy reads, "we may get your GPS or other location information so we can tell you if any of your friends are nearby." Sounds…stalkerific.
Of course, Apple already provides similar functionality with its Find my Friends app. But the question, if Facebook is indeed working on such functionality, is how easy it is for the user to stop sharing private data.
Facebook has failed to comment on the matter at this time. The social netowrk claims mobile users of over one billion.
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