The news: Location sharing is becoming a common way for people to stay connected. Forty-one percent of US adults share their location with at least one person, per CivicScience.

• Two-thirds (65%) of Gen Zers share their location, compared with 45% of millennials and 42% of Gen Xers.
• Among people who share their location, far more people give that information to multiple individuals (61%) than to a single person (39%).

Beyond security: While location sharing started as a safety measure, especially between parents and children, it’s increasingly used as a way to socialize.

• Over half (52%) share their location with a partner or spouse, while 20% would be uncomfortable if a partner or spouse asked them to do so.
• People are more likely to share location information with friends (27%) than with their parents (24%) or roommates (9%).

Isolation reprieve: Although location sharing doesn’t include direct communication, there may be an emotional element to it.

Among adults who report feeling lonely, 46% share their location with someone, compared with 31% of those who rarely or never feel lonely.

Handing out en masse: Consumers are giving out their whereabouts in bulk, and the gap is narrowing between people who do so with one person versus three or more.

• 41% of Gen Zers, 34% of millennials, and 42% of Gen Xers share with three people.
• 16% of Gen Zers and 12% of Gen Xers go even further, handing that information out to five people.

Our take: Location sharing is advancing past a safety mechanism for parents toward being adopted by multiple generations as a normal way to stay connected.

Consumers’ willingness to trade some level of control over their personal data for the benefits of virtual communities could indicate how intertwined digital habits are within personal relationships.

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