today the guardian almost wrote something about a real concern that totally happened with sane people
‘If I switch it off, my girlfriend might think I’m cheating’: inside the rise of couples location sharing
Submitted 1 month ago by return2ozma@lemmy.world to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/jul/24/inside-the-rise-of-couple-location-sharing
Comments
kepix@lemmy.world 1 month ago
wrekone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 month ago
Never. Not even once.
NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 1 month ago
I am of multiple minds on it.
I very much do like the idea of sharing your location (once you are in a committed relationship). Knowing when your partner is coming home or stuck at work or at the grocery store is useful. Same with knowing that someone can check in on you if something horrible happens. And I have 100% shared my location temporarily for that.
The problem is that… you don’t always want to do that. And explaining that becomes a mess.
At its core it is opt in versus opt out but it also can trigger the kinds of conversations that are really better suited to a lot later in a relationship. Like with prenups. There are a lot of REALLY REALLY REALLY good reasons to have them but it is the kind of topic that you can’t even raise without having the implication of “I don’t trust you”.
null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 month ago
I just message my partner like a troglodyte.
qyron@sopuli.xyz 1 month ago
Meanwhile, I often work with immediate risk of death or injury and, by law, I can not be equipped with a panic button for rescue purposes, as it is deemed unlawful surveillance of the worker.
I am supposed to warn in advance what work I will be doing and agree on a reasonable time window for it to be done safely, before having to call in again to say I am not yet dead and if the task is done or not.
phutatorius@lemmy.zip 1 month ago
by law, I can not be equipped with a panic button for rescue purposes, as it is deemed unlawful surveillance of the worker
That makes no sense. What country and what law? For one example, GDPR has an exemption for cases like that. And for another, how can it be surveillance when the communication is initiated by the worker as part of their job?
qyron@sopuli.xyz 1 month ago
I’m in Portugal.
I’ve asked if such devices could be supplied and I was given pretty much the same explanation I supplied here.
Strangely enough, vehicles can be legally tracked, in real time, yet the company I work at has some union agreement that prevents such installation in the work vehicles.
It’s a mess.
captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
I think I would make an exception to that law for a panic button or other emergency device that only transmits when activated, like a ship’s EPIRB or an aircraft’s ELT.
qyron@sopuli.xyz 1 month ago
It’s strange. Apparently it is one of those situations where the possibilty of something very useful being easily abused by companies to spy on their people is too great.
CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world 1 month ago
I’m pretty sure she’ll think I’m about to pop out from behind a car to scare her.
diptchip@lemmy.world 1 month ago
You’ll never be able to stop someone that wants to cheat. Best you can do is be funner and sexier than anyone your partner might be around. Never understood why that’s so hard for some people.
Obi@sopuli.xyz 1 month ago
That’s the gist of the success of my marriage. Even before we met, we both had reached a point of maturity where we were confident in ourselves as single people, and then from that solid base you can build the relationship in a healthy way. We both try to be the best to our partner, while being ultimately independent. These over-jealous people are using their relationship as a crutch for life so they’re terrified of it going wrong. Either that or they’re guilty themselves and projecting.
Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 month ago
So essentially very good friends that chose to live together + benefits of being in a deeper relationship?
Sounds healthy indeed! Wish you the best to keep that bond :)
rustyricotta@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 month ago
Putting aside how much of a red flag that is,
Is there any foss self-hosted version of these location sharing services?
BobbyConstable@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Home Assistant seems to work well. Depends what functions you want.
JackbyDev@programming.dev 1 month ago
This article constantly reloads and alternates between showing and hiding some warning about my privacy lol. Unreadable.
My wife and I have it on Google Maps. I can’t remember why, but we’ve had it for years. I think my wife worries if I’m safe sometimes. I think I check it less than once a year. I checked it once to see if they were on their way home once, that’s about it.
meliaesc@lemmy.world 1 month ago
I check ours frequently just to see when he’ll be home from work, because I leave for my job when he gets home due to young kids.
roserose56@lemmy.ca 1 month ago
Then brake up with her! Why you stay with partner that do not trust you? Yea not everything works perfect inba relationship, but people should allow some space.
UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Why you stay with partner that do not trust you?
Because the dating scene sucks.
That’s sort of the irony of it all. People are terrified of being cheated on, because it implies their partner has an attractive alternative they found with mysterious ease. Meanwhile, they’re stuck trawling for singles in the gutter.
But it’s illusionary. Hot Single MILFs are not, in fact, In Your Area Waiting To Fuck. Being single, particularly when you’re older, is miserable for a lot of people.
flop_leash_973@lemmy.world 1 month ago
We have location sharing enabling via Find My since everyone but me uses Apple. I don’t think my wife ever uses it and I only use it as a means of checking they seem to still be alive when they are otherwise late to somewhere they planned to me if I get worried about it.
In years past I would just call them, but this way is less actively intrusive. But people that use it as a spying tool have issues.
Portosian@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
I’ve never read bothered with relationships, and everytime I see some shit like this, it validates that choice.
JackbyDev@programming.dev 1 month ago
This is atypical.
Ostrichgrif@lemmy.world 1 month ago
It CC we’s not uncommon honestly. From someone in their mid twenties I’d say at minimum 40% of people I know in a relationship have something like this set up and that’s being generous. I’ve never done it and no person I’ve dated has pushed it but it’s far from atypical
ChaoticEntropy@feddit.uk 1 month ago
If I was actively sharing locations with someone and theirs just abruptly vanished, I’d be concerned that something happened to them… either share or don’t share.
null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 month ago
If the only thing stopping your partner from cheating is location sharing then you’ve got problems.
Jaybird@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Install a ROM on your phone and claim it no longer works on there :-)
viking@infosec.pub 1 month ago
Yeah right, rather than stand your ground, lie in your partners face.
Jaybird@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Oh guys I’m kidding of course. I was going with the OP’s theme here.
Should have added something like ‘/s’ I guess?
KiWilly@lemmy.myserv.one 1 month ago
Guys hi, just looking for some support share, a Fantasy Adventure Story, for all ages and just some entertain with some storyes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mVIvQ1wsgg - maybe you are curious
KiWilly@lemmy.myserv.one 1 month ago
Guys hi, just looking for some support share, a Fantasy Adventure Story, for all ages and just some entertain with some storyes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mVIvQ1wsgg - maybe you are curious
starman2112@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
My best friend drove me to work the other day. We missed a turn and had to take a detour. Not two blocks after that missed turn, his girlfriend calls him asking where he’s going lmao
I would be willing to share locations because I worry about people and don’t want them to worry about me, but I’ll toss this phone in a Blendtec blender before I install an application that gives some creep in fuckin Dayton Ohio my and my girlfriend’s GPS coordinates 24/7. Tasker does the job well enough anyhow
JackbyDev@programming.dev 1 month ago
Oof, iSmoke. Don’t breathe this!
captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
I think they did an iPhone, I know for a fact they did an iPad.