Location Trackers and Why Women Should Consider Their Safety When It Comes to Technology

Safety. It’s a concept that’s often at the forefront of a woman’s mind. Is that walk too isolated? Is that behavior strange? Am I aware of my surroundings? And when it comes to all things safety, technology has often been a positive force. Just think about journey trackers that allow you to be watched by a loved one, or the ‘I’m home safe’ text after a fun night with friends. But the question still stands, should we be trustworthy when it comes to all technology? And how do we make sure that it isn’t being used to our harm?

Take for example the Apple AirTags that were created with the intention of keeping track of your things, but which instead, according to The Guardian, became (in some cases) a safety hazard when it came to stalkers. Or the geotags on Instagram or Snapchat maps that can create a very similar danger. The prevalence of location sharing is frightening. So, with that in mind, what are the ways that you can counteract these dangers, without rejecting technology altogether?

Turn off your location

To be clear, this article isn’t suggesting that you throw away your phone. In fact, keeping a fully charged phone on you is always going to be beneficial to your safety. And actually, a portable charger as part of a tech survival kit is always a good thing to carry – an idea illustrated by Express VPN, which advises keeping it in a waterproof pouch so that it’s both portable and secure. However, it’s good to be aware of who has your location and to make sure that your privacy settings are set so only close friends can know your whereabouts. There are lots of apps that have location-sharing technology within them, so first things first, turn them off. Or at the very least, limit who can see your coordinates. 

Download a safety app

With that being said, many people want to share their location with the people they love so they can feel safe. But it’s best to try and limit this to a safety app along the likes of Walk Safe – the app which, seen on BBC News, allows you to follow your friend’s journey and which notifies the walker of any crimes in their area to avoid. Alternatively, what3words creates a unique combination of words to share your location, making it simple to share your exact place in a time of distress. Whichever you choose though, only allow access to those closest to you who you trust the most.

Check your surroundings 

And finally, it’s always vital to check your physical surroundings. Not just for people but also for hidden technology such as AirTags which could be tracking your location (and which have occasionally been found in locations such as cars) or for hidden cameras when staying in short-term rentals. It’s nice to assume that nobody would want to use technology for surveillance, however, it’s always best to remain vigilant just in case. Therefore, check your car, hotel room and any other place you might suspect malicious use of technology!

Technology can be our savior, but as with most powerful tools, it pays to use it wisely.