The upside of getting location-based ads on your mobile is they can alert you to discounts you might not otherwise spot, and which you can take advantage of immediately. The disadvantage is that letting a large corporate know exactly where you are can be, well, creepy. Which side of the fence do you sit on?
A survey of 606 Australians by GPS device manufacturer Navteq suggests that we’re surprisingly blasé about receiving opt-in SMS or Internet ads on our phone that identify bargains near our current location, with two-thirds saying they wouldn’t object to such advertising. Petrol discounts were the most popular offer, followed by restaurant discounts, groceries and fast food.
Of course, it’s one thing to get people to agree to save money, and quite another to actually get them to opt into a service (or stay opted-in once the first privacy scandal breaks). What goods would you be happy to see advertised onto your phone? Or do you belong firmly in the “my location is no-one else’s business” camp? Tell us, and tell us why, in the comments.
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