Privacy and LBS
Uma das questões mais importantes relacionadas às mídias locativas diz respeito à privacidade e aos derivados sistemas de vigilância e de monitoramento. Os sistemas baseados em localização digital vinculam hábitos e práticas de usuários a lugares e movimentos pelo espaço urbano podendo significar uma grave ameaça a um dos pilares da democracia moderna, o direito à privacidade. Usuários estão expostos, com ou sem consentimento, a monitoramento e vigilância por empresas, governos ou mesmo outros usuários.
Pensando nisso, a CTIA, “International Association for the Wireless Telecommunication”, lançou um guia para proteção da privacidade em serviços baseados em localização – LBS, que caracterizam junto com as LBT (“location based technologies”), as mídias locativas, tão em voga ultimamente.
O guia está disponível aqui. Segundo post do GPS World:
“‘Guarding the privacy of user location information is a top priority, and that’s why the wireless industry came together on a voluntary basis to establish these guidelines for location-based services,’ said Steve Largent, president and CEO of CTIA – The Wireless Association. ‘As more and more Americans are tapping into all that cutting-edge, location-based technology has to offer, the industry is working hard to stay ahead of the game by identifying and actively addressing concerns earlier rather than later.’ The hallmarks of the guidelines are user notice and consent, according to the industry association. LBS providers must inform users about how their location information will be used, disclosed, and protected so each user can make informed decisions whether or not to use the LBS or authorize disclosure, CTIA said. ‘The guidelines outline numerous examples to help educate consumers, stakeholders, and policymakers on the complexity and range of issues involved with location-based services,’ continued Largent. ‘The decision to use an LBS service ultimately lies with the consumer, and wireless carriers and LBS providers participating in this important industry initiative are committed to help consumers make informed decisions by giving them notice up-front about how their location information will be used, disclosed and protected.'”