Enabling privacy of real-life LBS: A platform for flexible mobile service provisioning

Abstract

Privacy in computerized environments is perceived very differently depending on the respective point of view. Often "privacy enhancing technologies" initiated by the user, as a measure of self-defense- are seen as conflicting with business goals such as cost-efficiency, revenue assurance, and options for further business development based on existing data. This paper presents the design and implementation of an architecture and prototype for privacy-friendly, interoperable location-based services (LBS), based on intermediation of location data via a location middleware component. The aim is to combine privacy-friendliness, efficiency, and market potential. Therefore the security interests of the stakeholders are analyzed and an architecture solution including an intermediary is introduced. Then the prototype implementation (at a mobile operator) is described and the usage of the prototype for a commercial service and product offer by the operator involved in the development is discussed. © 2007 International Federation for Information Processing.