Radiotelemetry triangulation of transmitters was done early in the twentieth century during times of war to track down the enemy.
Now a new type of triangulation method has been patented for the said purpose of targeting online advertising specifically to individuals in certain locales. The way it works is, the latency of the connection by an individual is measured from at least several points on the Internet. Triangulation can then be applied through the algorithm to determine the approximate location of the individual.
The following link was forwarded to me by a reader.
NSA granted Net location-tracking patent
The technology has much broader applications appeal then just targeted online advertising.
Geo-location, sometimes called "geo-targeting" when used to deliver advertising, is an increasingly attractive area for Internet businesses. DoubleClick has licensed geo-location technology to deliver location-dependent advertising, and Visa has signed a deal to use the concept to identify possible credit card fraud in online orders.
It appears as though companies have been using Geo-location targeting for quite some time on the Internet. As with any new technology developed, there are certainly altruistic, and security uses, but at the same time the possibilities exist for someone to abuse the power of these new technologies.
If you would like to see some computer technology matter discussed online, feel free to forward your Internet links today.
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