Advantages and disadvantages of having GPS tracking devices

There are many advantages and disadvantages of having a GPS tracking device. As today technology empowers us to track every bit of information on the internet using only an office desktop computer, or other mini mobile phone computers. Tracking could be useful in many cases, may that be in sports, transportation, communication, government, and police work.

For example arrested subjects may wear a GPS ankle monitor as a bail condition, or as a restraining order, or order of protection which is used in the state of Wisconsin and enforceable nationwide by Full Faith and Credit Clause in the Violence Against Women Act. That is a legal intervention to who is threatening and stalking another person in order to stop and reduce the risk of further threat and harm. In Sports, it is used to monitor all kinds of sports information like score, heart rate, while cycling route taken, or for example in gliding, GPS tracking is used to determine if some of the contestants are cheating taking a shortcut and what is the distance between them.

GPS tracking is highly used in traveling by use of maps and navigation a lot of time is saved finding the place and arriving at the destination you’re going to. You can evade heavy traffic find shortcuts and etc.

Some parents use this on their children to protect them from strangers or monitor their path so they can't be lost. GPS tracking is used in the care of the elderly and vulnerable where user calling for assistance allows designated carers to locate the user position in 10 to 5 meters. They promote independent living and the social inclusion of the elderly. Devices used for this purpose often have one or two-way communication and pre-programmed speed dial buttons. Trial use of GPS is available in several countries for persons with early stages of dementia.

Private investigators, police, or the government can use this sort of method to track down and locate known or unknown criminals. Or find data and information that will be used for investigation and trial of a certain subject. Some web page owners constantly show their position in real-time on the map on their website from a personal mobile device or GPS tracker, for more credibility, experiment, or else.

Many companies in the world use this kind of GPS tracking ability to track their own employees especially those engaged in the fieldwork. It could give the company manager a better view and data about the work done in a certain amount of time. But like with everything, GPS tracking has its own disadvantages like the intrusion of certain person privacy, using information data and location against the person to torture, stalk, steal. Hackers could easily spy on conversations and get authorized access to certain personal bank accounts, and other sites which could be used to steal and harass.