Is Phone Number Tracing Legal?

Cell phone numbers are traditionally private numbers, which are supposedly difficult to track, but not these days thanks to the advent of GPS tracking systems. Different search engines, free and paid for, allow people to track cell numbers relatively easily all over the globe.

What are the ethics involved in tracking someone’s phone number? Even if someone is unregistered it is possible to find out his or her phone number. People’s privacy is being compromised, and often times they aren’t even aware of it. Are we one step away from Big Brother?

Testing The System

Try it for yourself. Enter your own cell phone number into different search engines and see how easily you are able to obtain details about yourself. You may be surprised. You may not only be able to discover the name associated with the number, but also your email address, physical address and in some instances, even a map.

This service can yield advantages and also drawbacks. Obviously, if you are the one searching then the easier you are able to obtain results, the better. If, however, you are being searched for, and for whatever reason, do not want to be found, the ease of your details being discovered is not as desirable.

Imagine this information being accessed by prank callers or telemarketers. Or even by an unhappy ex-lover. Respect for people’s privacy is being swept away in this age where information is available at the touch of a button. The need for permission has disappeared in favor of easy access of information in the public domain.

Positive Side Of Tracking

Of course there are positives in this situation, national security being one, and tracking criminals. But should this information be widely available to the public? And should government bodies be given limits and boundaries when it comes to the use of this information? A recent study conducted in the US traced 100 00 people for a relatively innocent subject, to see how far they traveled away from home. The trouble with this seemingly innocent study was that this information was accessed without the knowledge and permission of the participants. The ethics committee was not consulted in this instance.

Where do we draw the line, and do we even have a choice? We are increasingly living our lives in the public domain, and the scary thing is that we may not even have a choice about how much information is out there about us that is accessible by anyone at anytime.