It may seem tempting to share your GPS data online but there are some things you should consider before hitting the “share” button on GPSApp or any other GPS data sharing website for that matter.
Do you really want to post the exact location of your home on the internet?
That’s what you’re doing if you share a GPS route that starts or ends at your house. Sites like MapMyRun are a stalker’s dream come true – find out where anyone lives just by checking out where their running routes start and end. My rule of thumb is that if a route starts from my house, I don’t share it online.
Are you posting your data to be helpful or just to show off?
Egotism is so 1980s and if you’re posting a route just to show off how fast, how far, or how high you traveled then we suggest you keep those routes to yourself. If, on the other hand, you want to help other travelers navigate a scenic or tricky route, post away!
Does your GPS file contain both tracks and waypoints?
GPS tracks and waypoints can be useful on their own but without both we’re missing a bit of context. A dangling track doesn’t tell us anything about the start / end point or even any interesting spots along the way. Ditto for waypoints – how do we navigate between them without a track? Wait until you’ve added both tracks and waypoints to your file before you make it public.
Did you follow an unauthorized or dangerous route?
This should go without saying but if your data shows a route through private property or cuts across dangerous terrain, don’t post it online.
If you can think of other cases where sharing GPS data online is a bad idea, we’d love to hear them and possibly include them in this post. Hit us up on the comment form below!