Google Chrome Has Finally Added This Privacy Feature for Android Users.
If you’d told someone twenty-five years ago that in the near future people would voluntarily carry devices that would constantly transmit their location to companies and organizations, they probably wouldn’t have believed you. Yet this is just one way smartphones have changed our understanding of personal privacy. Of course, not only do we choose to carry our smartphones everywhere, but it’s also difficult to navigate modern life without them.
However, it’s important to note that not all location information is created equal : while the default is often to share your exact coordinates with the app or service that requests them, you often have a second option that significantly helps preserve your privacy: “approximate location.” When you select this option, your phone will only share your approximate location when requested, rather than your exact address. This is ideal for situations where knowing your approximate location is necessary for the app to function, but not your exact location. If you’re looking for a restaurant in your area, you might only need to provide the city or postal code, not your home address. If you want to know what the weather will be like tomorrow, you also don’t need your exact location. Of course, there are exceptions, such as navigation apps that need to know your exact location for tracking, or when you want to find the nearest store to your current location. But often, an approximate location is a better choice than an exact location when sharing this information with apps.
Chrome for Android finally has the ability to share your approximate location.
That’s why I was so surprised that Google Chrome for Android didn’t allow you to share your approximate location with websites until now. Unlike Android itself, which has this option, Chrome’s location policy is all or nothing: if you wanted to share this information with a website, you’d better be prepared to send your current location.
No more worries: starting this week, a new pop-up will appear whenever a website requests your location. Instead of a simple “all or nothing” question, the menu will ask whether you want to provide an exact location or an approximate location within your area. You’ll even be able to see the difference in the map thumbnail: “Exact” will show your exact location, while “Approximate” will show an approximate radius. The usual follow-up options will also be available: “Allow while browsing this site,” “Allow now,” or “Never allow.”
It’s unclear whether the pop-up will appear for sites you’ve already granted access to your location data. However, you can change your location settings at any time to override existing settings. To do this, open Chrome, tap the three dots to the right of the address bar, then tap “Settings.” Then, under “Advanced,” select “Site Settings” > “Location .” Here you can change your location settings.
Interestingly, Google states that this feature is currently being developed for desktop computers. This means that for now, you’ll still have to decide for yourself whether to share your location in Chrome on a Mac or PC.