Yesterday, Google launched the My Location function for Google Maps on mobile phones – an auto-customized You-are-here pointer for virtual maps. Or to put it in the discourse of ‘seamless experience’ that is often used for these product innovations: ‘Just press the button and the phone will tell you where you are.’

Interesting is the framing of this logical next step in locative and mobile media. Google itself claims that the company will not know where you are. In the clip posted below they state Google will only know the location of the handset, but they will not connect this information with the private data of the handset user. Yet a dutch tv-report this morning had a different take on the story. Google was portrayed as ‘Big Brother’ that not only reads all your email, but now also will know your exact whereabouts.