Modeling the C(o)urse of Privacy-critical Location-based Services – Exposing Dark Side Archetypes of Location Tracking

Abstract

With the ubiquitous use of mobile devices, location-based services (LBS) have rapidly pervaded daily life. By providing context- and location-specific information, LBS enable a myriad of opportunities for individuals and organizations. However, the manifold advantages come along with a radical increase in location privacy concerns and non-transparent data flows between the various actors involved. While research often focuses on protecting the dyadic relation between the user and LBS provider, the entirety of dark sides constituting privacy violations remains hidden. In this paper, we follow the paradigm of architectural thinking to shed light on the diverse dark sides emerging in today’s LBS. By drawing on a multiple case study and developing a notation for architectural maps that help understand LBS from a socio-technical and privacy-oriented perspective, we reveal six dark side archetypes of LBS.