The Internet is a haven to multitude of information. Offering the ability for Internet users to garner information based on geographic location can for example, greatly reduce search times and in general, provide the user with locally specific information. Similarly, user communities and chat-rooms can be enhanced through knowing the locations of their members, provide them with information on local times, weather conditions and news events.  The concept of "Geolocation" applies not only to computers but to any device connected to the Internet. Geolocation is essentially the technique of determining a device's geographic latitude, longitude and by inference, city, region and nation by comparing the device's public Internet IP address with known locations of other electronically neighboring servers and routers. There are heated debates of weather Geolocation is good for the overall Internet user community. Increasing number of websites and web based applications are using Geolocation techniques to determine what you should see and what you are allowed to do. As the technology improves, websites might turn into blocking groups of visitors and carving the Web into smaller chunks - in some cases, down to a ZIP code. With a technology that can detect users' whereabouts becoming a trend with most websites, the most concerning factor is if websites might resort to misleading their visitors. For instance, an online trading company might show different prices when competitors based out of specific locations, visit; a political candidate might present visitors with different manifestos based on their respective locations. On the other hand the advantages of Geolocation techniques are limitless. By pulling up a Web browser, a businessman on travel can do a localized search to find nearby restaurants and theaters. Chat programs and Web pages can determine his location based on the Internet address and deliver locally specific contents and opportunities. On his return back home, these programs can correctly place him in his home city. There is no need to change computer configurations, remember addresses or even be aware.
For the most part, Geolocation techniques are almost exclusively used by commercial companies for advertisements and other propaganda activities. Google AdSense for example, works exclusively based on Geolocation techniques to deliver location specific ads. It remains to see how these techniques could influence our lives in the long run. Via.: Wired News: Geolocation: Don't Fence Web In
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