Location Privacy Manager Module for Selective Disclosure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computing systems lack effective mechanisms to manage and protect user privacy regarding location information, particularly in enabling or disabling location-based services, as they often do not allow users to control the disclosure of location properties to various requestors.
Innovation Solution
A location privacy manager module is implemented within a computing system to control access to location properties by determining if location-based computing is enabled and applying user-specified privacy preferences, which can be set through a pop-up user interface, ensuring that location information is only shared when consent is given.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If location-based services are enabled to provide location information access, then service functionality is improved, but user privacy protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A privacy manager module is introduced as an intermediary between location information and external requestors. This module controls the flow of location data by evaluating user-defined privacy preferences before releasing information, thereby enabling location-based services while protecting user privacy through a mediating layer that filters and regulates data disclosure.
2Ease of operation
If location information is disclosed to enable location-based services, then service accessibility is improved, but information security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Users define their privacy preferences in advance before location information is requested. The privacy manager module stores these pre-defined preferences and automatically enforces them when location requests arrive, eliminating the need for real-time user intervention while ensuring secure information disclosure based on predetermined security rules.
3Ease of operation
If privacy preferences are managed through user interface interactions, then user control is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The privacy manager module operates autonomously by automatically evaluating location requests against pre-defined user privacy preferences and making disclosure decisions without requiring continuous user intervention. This self-service mechanism simplifies the user experience while maintaining strong privacy control, reducing the apparent system complexity from the user's perspective.
Data Source
AI summary
An approach for managing the privacy and disclosure of location information associated with a computer system. For one aspect, a request is received from a requestor for a location property associated with a location of a computer system. It is then determined whether a privacy preference associated with the requestor has been specified. If not, a user may be prompted to supply privacy preferences associated with the requester. The privacy preferences are then applied to determine whether or not to provide the requested information. A user setting, such as a basic input-output system memory location setting, may also be implemented to enable and/or disable location-aware computing.