As if we needed one more way to be tracked...

There is yet another way to keep "tabs" on friends and family. Great, just what we need.

Most won't admit that they love the idea of this. But they do. A lot, actually.
What a bunch of creepers.

A couple days ago, Google announced a spiffy, new stalking-er- I mean, "mapping" feature called Latitude. It will soon be available for every major mobile phone platform, currently supporting Google maps. Soon, everyone will know where you are at all time. Yay?

But rest assured, there are "strict" privacy settings. Sense a hint of sarcasm? Users will have to manually turn on Latitude before it will broadcast their location. Users can also determine the specificity of their location--from an exact city block or just a city itself. Only friends on your contact list can see your location. Thank goodness.

You are in control, or at least that is what Google wants you to think Ha. You have the ability to accept someone's location and share back, accept their location and hide yours, deny their location or block them. So many options!

You can even change privacy levels for each friend. Latitude also allows you to post a "Twitter-like" message along with your location, like: "Getting lunch, come join me!" or "At the dentist, come join me!." Be creative.

Latitude has a leg up on the competition. The other "mapping" programs have a restricted user-pool because of certain phones and certain carriers. Latitude promises stalker-privileges to anyone with a halfway-decent phone. Latitude is also available for desktops and laptops.

Latitude's potential is huge. Anyone could see that. Theoretically, advertisers could tap into your location, match it up with the locations of their services and your browsing history, and provide a highly, intensive targeted ad. Kinda scary. Hello, Big Brother.

So, go ahead.
Give in.
You know you want to.
All the cool kids are doing it.