Show HN: Get user location without sending coordinate-data away from the browser(pointng.io)
pointng.io
Show HN: Get user location without sending coordinate-data away from the browser
https://www.pointng.io
3 comments
I have not seen similar solution before. How sensitive is location data from GDPR or CCPA perspective. I mean if, the data that is passed to 3rd parties is anonymous, do I still need to consider privacy stuff??
Creator of pointNG here, hi :)
I'm not a lawyer, but the idea of pointNG is that whatever the legislation says currently or tomorrow, we provide a solution that gives developers a possibility to build products without overthinking about the privacy legislation. For example, to create a location-based content personalization should not require developers to pass data to 3rd parties.
Many articles describe GDPR, CCPA etc. legislations' view on location data, but here's an example:
"Opinion 13/2011 sets out the regulator's view that a device is usually intimately linked to a specific individual and that location data will, therefore, be regarded as "personal data". Indeed, the definition of "personal data" in the GDPR, specifically includes location data as one of the elements by reference to which a person can be identified. The Opinion comments that the providers of geolocation based services gain "an intimate overview of habits and patterns of the owner of such a device and build extensive profiles."
Furthermore, in certain contexts, location data could be linked to special category personal data (sensitive personal data). For example, location data may reveal visits to hospitals or places of worship or presence at political demonstrations." https://www.foxwilliams.com/2018/10/19/the-use-of-location-d...
Anyways, I think it's wise to be transparent and describe how your services use data and whom it sends it to in privacy policy. The bigger the company, the harder it is usually to change its privacy policies.
I'm not a lawyer, but the idea of pointNG is that whatever the legislation says currently or tomorrow, we provide a solution that gives developers a possibility to build products without overthinking about the privacy legislation. For example, to create a location-based content personalization should not require developers to pass data to 3rd parties.
Many articles describe GDPR, CCPA etc. legislations' view on location data, but here's an example:
"Opinion 13/2011 sets out the regulator's view that a device is usually intimately linked to a specific individual and that location data will, therefore, be regarded as "personal data". Indeed, the definition of "personal data" in the GDPR, specifically includes location data as one of the elements by reference to which a person can be identified. The Opinion comments that the providers of geolocation based services gain "an intimate overview of habits and patterns of the owner of such a device and build extensive profiles."
Furthermore, in certain contexts, location data could be linked to special category personal data (sensitive personal data). For example, location data may reveal visits to hospitals or places of worship or presence at political demonstrations." https://www.foxwilliams.com/2018/10/19/the-use-of-location-d...
Anyways, I think it's wise to be transparent and describe how your services use data and whom it sends it to in privacy policy. The bigger the company, the harder it is usually to change its privacy policies.