Should I Share My Location From My Smartphone?

Key takeaways

• Enhance safety and connection by sharing your location, as tech expert Edward Baig highlights.
• Streamline family coordination and daily routines — location sharing is especially popular among younger adults.
• Balance convenience with privacy. Baig urges thoughtful consideration before enabling this feature on your device.

Summary

Sharing your location on your smartphone is more common than ever, with younger adults leading the way, according to tech writer Edward Baig. Location sharing offers real advantages — including increased safety, easier family coordination and staying connected with loved ones in real time. Whether you’re heading into unfamiliar territory or simply want to know when your spouse is on the way home, enabling location sharing on your Android or iPhone is a straightforward process that starts in your device’s privacy or location settings.

But is location sharing right for you? Baig notes that privacy concerns often give people pause, and it’s important to balance the convenience with your comfort level. Ultimately, sharing your location from your smartphone is a personal decision rooted in trust, connection and choice. For step-by-step guidance and tips on protecting your privacy, visit AARP.org/techguru.

The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Full Transcript:

[00:00:00] Location sharing from your smartphone lets others see in real time where you are.
[00:00:05] Some people love it, others avoid it, and your feelings about it might be [00:00:10] tied to how privacy minded you are and maybe your age. A recent study found [00:00:15] that 65% of Gen Z adults use location sharing compared to
[00:00:20] 45% of millennials, 42% of Gen X
[00:00:23] and just 24% of those 55 and older. But what’s the right decision for you?
[00:00:30] Let’s break down the pros and the cons.
[00:00:32] Should I share my location from my smartphone?
[00:00:37] Starting with the pros, safety is the
[00:00:40] number one reason that people use location sharing. Say you’re in an unfamiliar place.
[00:00:45] Just share your location with someone you trust, and they can keep tabs on you.
[00:00:55] Staying connected. Checking the location of friends and family is an easy way to stay connected without needing to text or call. With just a tap,
[00:01:00] you can see if someone’s at home, traveling or out running errands.
[00:01:05] Coordination. Let’s say you’re cooking dinner for your spouse. Instead of bugging them for updates
[00:01:10] on their location, you can just track them.
[00:01:13] Now for the cons: privacy.
[00:01:15] Some feel like they’re being watched even when there’s no bad intent.
[00:01:20] Also, less communication. Instead of calling to ask, “Where are you?” people
[00:01:25] just check your location, which cuts down on your engagement with others.
[00:01:30] And potential conflict. Maybe you’re not where you said you’d be, or someone sees
[00:01:35] you somewhere and feels left out.
[00:01:36] Fear of missing out. FOMO is real.
[00:01:40] If you decide to use location sharing, it’s simple and easy to do.
[00:01:45] Here’s how to turn it on. Using Pixel as an example  for Android, go to
[00:01:50] Settings, then Location. Make sure Use Location is switched on.
[00:01:55] Then tap Location Services and Google
[00:02:00] Location Sharing. On an iPhone,
[00:02:03] head to Settings,
[00:02:05] then Privacy and Security,
[00:02:10] then Location Services, and enable Share My Location.
[00:02:15] Now choose your app. Android users have Find Hub, while
[00:02:20] iPhone users have Find My. There are additional third-party tracking apps as well.
[00:02:25] Remember, location sharing isn’t just about technology.
[00:02:30] It’s about trust, connection and choice.
[00:02:33] For some, it’s a lifeline,
[00:02:35] and for others it’s a line they’d rather not cross.
[00:02:40] For more tech advice, go to AARP.org/techguru