Business Ethics for Location-Based Services

Services based on the location of wireless subscribers are being launched around the world in a context of endless debates across the telecom industry concerning conflicting demands for regulation, privacy concerns and free availability of subscriber location data. To address this issue, Jean-Michel Durocher, founder of Webraska and a strong advocate of business ethics, published in 2002 the industry setting "Three Laws of Location-based Services", based on Isaac Asimov's ground-breaking "Three Laws of Robotics".

The location of mobile phones, and with it the opportunity to enhance the safety, quality of life or productivity of all mobile users, is now a reality. Applications such as 'what is the nearest?' finder services, 'Where am I, How do I get there?' maps, direction, traffic and navigation services, 'Where are my friends, my colleagues, my children?' and similar sharing and community services, have been launched around the world by mobile operators. Entertainment, m-commerce, and business applications are already under trial or just around the corner.

"We, as an industry, have a responsibility to define the rules that should govern the use of such a powerful technology" says Jean-Michel Durocher. "These rules must address the key issues facing the industry and subscribers alike: security and safety, privacy concerns, fear of 'Big Brother' and profitability for all players in the location-based services value chain."

Asimov became famous with a series of books and novels he wrote in the 40s and 50s about robots, and how they would influence our lives, that inspired the story of the American movie "i-robot" (2004). Because of the fear that people have of robots, the so-called Frankenstein syndrome, Asimov's robots had been factory designed so that would always be subject to 3 laws. Here they are:

Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics" (1947):

• First Law: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.



• Second Law: A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.



• Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law

Drawing a parallel from these, Mr Durocher suggests that the LBS industry adopts the "Three Laws Of Location-Based Services".

Three Laws Of Location-Based Services:

• First Law: Location, through its availability or non-availability, must not allow a human being to come to harm.



• Second Law: The availability of one's Location must be in one's complete control, except where such control would conflict with the First Law.



• Third Law: The providers of location-based services must be allowed to create a profitable business from these services as long as such business does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

The first law addresses the requirements of the E911 FCC regulation: emergency services must be able to locate people when they make emergency calls. At the same time, no services should put mobile users in dan.

The second law would ensure that LBS services are voluntary, that privacy is always preserved. In normal circumstances, a subscriber should always be able to prevent others from locating him or her. But at the same time, in emergency situations, it might be impossible for the subscriber to provide the necessary life-saving authorization. And in some cases, the police will want to (and already do) track cellular phone usage to locate dangerous criminals.

Finally, the third law stresses the fact that location alone, for the sake of it, like any technology, is not enough. Service providers must find the way to charge for the services and develop the right business models. Applications must bring real value that consumers and business users will be willing to pay for. However, the third law also ensures that no business should be able to benefit from the availability of location data, to the detriment of a mobile user's right to complete privacy and safety.