European Computer Manufacturers Association. Reference Model for Frameworks of Software Engineering Environments

Location-based services (LBS) are those applications that utilize the position of an end-user, animal or thing based on a given device (handheld, wearable, interwoven into fabric or implanted), executed for a particular purpose. LBS applications range from those that are mission-critical to those that are used for convenience, from those that are mandatory to those that are voluntary, from those that are targeted at the mass market to those that cater for the needs of a niche market. Location services can be implemented using a variety of access mediums including global positioning systems and radio-frequency identification, rendering approximate or precise position details. The introduction of location-based services, which are growing in sophistication and complexity, has brought with it a great deal of uncertainty. Unaddressed topics include: who is accountable for the accuracy and availability of location information, prioritization for location frequency reporting, the user’s freedom to opt-in and opt-out of services, caregiver and guardian rights and responsibilities, the transparency of transactions, the duration of location information storage. Some of these controversies are the focus of court cases across the United States, usually between service providers and disgruntled end-users or law enforcement agencies and suspected criminals. While we can wait for the courts to set precedence and then take legislative action to learn about how we should act and what we should accep