Locative media: From specialized preoccupation to mainstream fascination

In 2010, Google generated global controversy when their Google Street View cars recorded data sourced from unsecured WiFi networks. While, in February of the same year, mobile social networking service Foursquare became embroiled in its own controversy when it was revealed that much of the traffic on their site was appearing on Please Rob Me.com, a website which streams updates from various location-based networks that shows when users check-in to a geographical location that is not their home. These controversies are of note not just for the salutary lessons they offer about the risks associated with digital data retention, privacy and security. At a more general level, they are noteworthy in that they testify to the dramatically increased public awareness of, and mainstream (especially press) exposure granted to, location-based media services.