Starting today, Google Maps will give people the ability to share their movements and real-time location data with friends and family. The popular mobile app already monitors the whereabouts of its users, but this new feature will make it easy to broadcast that information with just a few taps. As Google pitches it in a press release today, the feature is a way to cut down on those annoying “What’s your ETA?” texts you exchange with friends when making plans. This is an opt-in service, meaning it won’t share your location with boss or significant other without your permission. Google says you have to actively choose who to share it with, and a reminder icon will let you know you’re live. But let’s face it—some people don’t want to be found, and that’s getting harder and harder to pull off these days.
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