CNN.com - Geolocation tech slices, dices Web - Jul 12, 2004

One of the great things about the internet is that it is global. Geolocation technology aims to give websites the ability to know exactly where the visitor is coming from.

One use for this technology is to provide certain content for people coming from one location and other content for others. This has been happening for a while, just look at the banner ads on CNN. Many are customized to your location.

Another use is to block or censor content depending on location. Certain states and nations have laws that can be enforced using this technology.

The drawback and fear however, is that the anonimity of the internet is being eroded. When a website can track a visitor to their postal code, privacy issues abound.

TruthMedia and other websites based on communities depend on the visitor being able to be honest without fear of people knowing who they are.

A solution to this might be a metadata tag declaring if the user is being tracked or not. For now, a statement by each contact form stating that a truely anonomous post can be made may be important.