by Laurie Sullivan, Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, March 22, 2017

Drop a pin and share your real-time location with a specific person for a specific amount of time, from 15 minutes to three days. Google has added a real-time location function to Google Maps, allowing people to share their location on Android and iOS devices without leaving the app, mobile Web or desktop.

Users also can share a specific route from one location to another and an approximate estimated time of arrival with others. And while Google makes no mention of saving the information, it keeps a copy of the information online in the MyActivity dashboard, so users can revisit their trip and Google can target ads based on the locations.

To share the location, Google Maps users open the side menu or tap the blue dot that represents the location. Tap “Share location” and then select who to share with and how long to share it.

Users can share their real-time location with Google contacts or with friends and family by sending a link via a messenger app. The location appears on the person’s map in the Google Maps app.

Apple also has begun to share location data attached to pictures people take when their location services is turned on in the privacy controls. Each time an image is taken by the mobile device, it also captures and attaches the exact location and address to the photo. Turning off the Location Services setting prevents sharing of the information.

MediaPost.com: Search Marketing Daily

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