Is location tracking building relationships? Or ruining them?

Four in ten U.S. adults share their locations with at least one person. But while it’s convenient – is it a violation of privacy? And who really needs to know where you are? We're getting into how location sharing became a norm, the pros and cons, and how to turn it off without making things weird.

Brittany breaks it all down with Gina Cherelus, New York Times styles reporter and writer of their Third Wheel dating column, and Tatum Hunter, internet culture reporter at The Washington Post.

(0:00) Who shares their location and why?
(3:21) Sharing with your friends vs. your boyfriend
(5:27) How location sharing became a social norm
(9:30) What are the benefits of sharing your location?
(14:21) What do companies get from knowing your location?
(15:40) Why it can be damaging to share location with people
(17:20) The awkwardness of stopping sharing location
(19:29) How location sharing is redefining "privacy"

Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.

Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse

For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy