Experts claim that sharing geolocation always comes with risks, especially for young people who often lack the necessary digital security skills. The absence of this knowledge makes them vulnerable.
- What dangers can arise when a teenager shares their geolocation with friends or in groups?- The main risk lies in the fact that location information is considered very sensitive data. Here are some potential threats:
- Stalking and harassment. Even from an acquaintance, a threat can arise if they use location data to monitor: tracking where the teenager is, who they are communicating with, and why they are not at home.
- Social engineering Location can be used by scammers to build trust or to threaten that harm may come to the teenager's family. Such methods are often employed by malicious individuals.
- Threat to physical safety. If a malicious person learns that a teenager frequently visits a certain place or is often alone, this creates a risk of attack or blackmail. In this case, the location information could be shared by someone familiar.
- Bullying and peer pressure. In the teenage environment, geolocation can become a tool for bullying: "we know where you are." Malicious individuals may use data about routes and vulnerable time frames to intimidate.
- Formation of a digital profile. Regular location points create a near-map of the teenager's life: home, school, clubs. This allows for the collection of detailed information about where they live, study, hang out, when they are alone, etc., which opens up opportunities for stalking and other crimes.
Posting geolocation on social media is the highest level of risk. In this case, the information becomes almost uncontrollable and accessible to anyone.Three levels of risk can be identified:
- Sharing with a close friend - low to medium risk (but the risk still exists). If trust is high and access is time-limited, this is relatively safer than other forms of sharing, but still undesirable.
- Group chat - medium to high risk. There may be unfamiliar people present, and it is impossible to control who will take a screenshot or forward the data.
- Posting geolocation on social media - maximum risk. In this case, access is granted not only to friends but also to potential strangers, scammers, and malicious individuals.
Public geolocation is the most dangerous scenario.- How safe are the built-in geolocation features in popular messengers and social networks?- Built-in geolocation features in messengers and social networks cannot be considered safe. Their vulnerabilities can be exploited through data leaks, hacks, employee errors, and human factors. Some platforms collect location information even when the geolocation feature is turned off.
- Can shared geolocation be used by third parties without the teenager's knowledge?- Yes, third parties can use geolocation without the teenager's knowledge, for example, through account hacking, phone theft, or data leaks.
- What digital habits particularly increase risks?- Dangerous habits include public profiles, low privacy settings, lack of two-factor authentication, password reuse, and constant geolocation "in the background." Many teenagers do not pay attention to privacy settings and post photos with location tags, making them vulnerable. It is recommended to publish content only after changing locations.
Password reuse threatens security: using the same password across different platforms can lead to the compromise of all accounts.Trusting "internet friends" does not guarantee safety. Often, online friendships develop quickly, and teenagers easily share personal information.
Long-term sharing of geolocation is the most dangerous option. The riskiest is "sharing always," rather than "for 15 minutes."Although sharing geolocation can be risky, follow these rules when necessary to share your location:
- only with close people;
- for a short time;
- without posting on public social networks;
- with privacy settings checked;
- with account protection (2FA).
Geodata is a critical identifier that can be used in both digital and physical attacks.
