Sunday, September 16, 2012

LECTURE POST #1: PRIVACY


My entrepreneurial idea is one for an app that would run on both Apple and Android products, particularly smartphones, ipads and tablets.  The app, called “Connected” is one that allows you to stay in touch with your friends easily no matter where you are.  Using Apple and Android integrated software, this app automatically shows the location of your closest friends via GPS right on your mobile device.  You will never lose your friends again!

In class we learned a lot about social media sights such as Twitter and Facebook are taking over the world as the leading source of real time news.  These websites/apps allow users to connect to world events whenever and wherever.  My app “Connected” allows attempts to connect users via mobile device and acts as a social media tool as well.  I would be able to use these other social media sights to help promote my app and I can also integrate these other sights into my app so people can connect and share through the major media outlets that already exist.
            An existing issue with many social media sights, however, is privacy or the lack thereof.  Facebook, for example, technically owns the rights to all photos, posts and comments you make on their website.  How private is your information really when you are complying to these terms of use?  My app, Connected, is especially tricky when it comes to privacy protection.  Since you will be able to track others in real time, both users must be in full agreement that this can exist. 
            There will be a user agreement that states that the privacy of your location is secure unless you accept others manually to allow them to track your location.  The app also incorporates events and locations that users can meet at.  Any time a user wants to connect in any way with another, they must allow tracking to occur.  A user may select an option in the settings of the app to “always allow tracking from certain contact OR from all people.”  The default setting, however, will be to manually accept tracking for each individual every time.  This way the app will truly be private unless the user requests otherwise.  

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