Sharing your location?

Y’all, you need to check your phones now. You might be surprised to find out you’re sharing your location with everyone you know. A few weeks ago, a friend texted me to tell me she was turning off her location services on her phone. I asked, “Why are you telling me?” She said, “Because I’ve been sharing my location with you and didn’t even know it!” So funny…because I had no idea she was sharing her location with me! She then said, “You might want to check your own phone to see what info you’re sharing through the FindMy app and others!”

Holy moly. For the technologically challenged (me), this would be a chore. I sat down with my phone and eventually figured it out. Seriously…when I say “eventually,” I mean it took me a while. I had to Google different things, but I finally figured it out.

I had no idea I had been sharing my location with so many apps and with so many contacts!  Maybe I had done that intentionally at some point, but I don’t remember it. It’s very possible that I had intentionally shared my location with hundreds of friends through my phone…maybe at different times? Maybe when some of us were trying to meet somewhere? I don’t recall. But there it was in front of my eyes…I was sharing my location with hundreds of people all the time. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a criminal, because if I were out committing crimes, it would be easy for people to see where I was!

I’ve gotten a couple of texts from friends who noticed they could no longer see my location, and then today, my friend, Mary Ann, tagged me in a post on Facebook, “Did we break up? I can’t see your location any longer. How am I going to stalk you?” Always the jokester…leave it to Mary Ann to call me out publicly. She was kidding, of course. We are not “breaking up;” she will always be my friend. I’m not even sure how she noticed it…maybe she was stalking me?!?!? Bahahaha!

Last year, I downloaded the Life 360 app, because our teenage daughter was starting to drive, and I intentionally share my location with family through that, but that’s it. No friends. Only family. Because really?!? Is it necessary for anyone else to know where I am all the time? Nope. Am I paranoid?!

Know what else? It’s not necessary for me to know where folks are either. Not gonna lie. It’s a little creepy. I don’t even want to know where they are. I prefer to think they might be enjoying an afternoon of social distancing in a tropical location, drinking Mai Tais by the pool.

Everybody knows where we are right now anyway…home.