MPs call on parliament to examine Google Latitude

Commons motion raises fears over privacy aspects of mobile phone tracking system

Latitude shows where people are

MPs have launched a protest in Westminster over Google’s new Latitude phone tracking software that makes location data available from mobile phone users.

Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake has put down a motion in parliament calling on the government to examine the issues involved "and to take action to ensure that Latitude does not represent a privacy threat".

Latitude uses satnav GPS chips in many of the latest mobile telephones to pinpoint where users are and collects the information on a web site. It makes the information available to users using a blue dot on a map on screen and is promoted as a way "to keep tabs on someone special".

So far four Liberal Democrat MPs have signed up to the motion.

Google has pointed out that Latitude is an opt-in system, and users can choose whether or not their location is publicised, and to whom.