Image via CrunchBaseTravelers always on the move, either on a business purpose or otherwise, are being now being treated by the new update of Google. The mobile version of Google News site has just witnessed an update which now gives the users the local news, of wherever in this world they are, automatically by collecting their location data. The new feature was enrolled on Friday, allowing the easy functionality of a new section of news for users based on the view of news stories based on their current location, called “News Near Me.” It is accessible to both the users of iPhone and Android devices.
However, it shall not go unnoticed that this feature will once again allow the search engine giant to locate your device and in turn track your location all the time again. While you are visiting the news site, the user is prompted to approve the mobile browser to send their location data to Google servers. Once the feature is set up, it is very easy to use as the local headlines appear automatically in the section called "News Near Me." This section is generally placed in the bottom most position of the homepage though the users can easily adjust by changing the tab order in the personalization settings page to put the local headlines, national, world news in sequence with the “News Near Me.”
The feature of "News Near Me" was extended on the desktop host site of Google News almost three years back, which allowed the user to see the local news after entering their ZIP code.
Users also have the option of turning off this new feature; they can either hide this newly updated section in the same personalization settings, or even adjust the setting of the browser as well.
However, it can again be very critical for Google to ask for the location data, as the previous scandal faced by Apple and Android proved very fatal and resulted in many lawsuits. But again many analysts claim that mobile news sites are one of the prime candidates for location-based services and this practice is very ordinary. It was implied that the area of news, weather and other related topics has always been one the top areas which provide information after analyzing your location data. Hence it is expected that this new feature enrolled by Google, despite collecting the user location data, will not raise as much concerns over privacy issues as in the case of iPhone and Android.
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