Mobile devices and web browsers support the sharing of the current location. This gives apps, websites and services access to a user’s location in the world. Ideally, to provide custom information, such as zooming to that location on a map, showing businesses nearby, providing directions, or loading specific information on a website.
While useful in that regard, location does reveal information about the user. The feature is usually locked behind a permission, but some apps may not start at all without it or block access to features.
Google announced on its official The Keyword blog that it is introducing approximate location sharing in Chrome. The feature lands in Chrome for Android first before it will also be introduced in the desktop versions of the browser.
Here is what it does: Google Chrome’s new Approximate Location Sharing feature enhances privacy by giving users a third option when websites request their whereabouts: sharing a general regional area rather than the exact coordinates. While users can still grant precise location access for tasks that genuinely need it—such as getting turn-by-turn navigation, placing a delivery order, or finding a nearby ATM—everyday browsing activities like checking local weather or reading regional news can now function perfectly well with just a neighborhood or city-level location.
In other words, websites and apps get information about a region a user is in and not the precise location. This new permission is intended for services that do not require accurate information and for users who do not want to share their exact location.
When a location prompt pops up on the mobile, users can now pick between “precise” and “approximate” and the usual options to “never allow”, “allow this time”, or “allow while visiting the site” options. Google says that the feature will land on desktop in Chrome in the coming months as well. For now, it is only available in Chrome for Android.
How useful is it for privacy? It can be used to share less-exact information about ones location. That is useful, especially for services that do not require it to function. If you want to get local news or weather, it does not really matter if the service that is providing the information knows the exact location or not. In that regard, it is a useful addition for users who share location but prefer it to be less exact whenever possible.