Facebook has been growing in the way of location tracking, but according to Bloomberg, the company may soon unveil a mobile application that tracks users’ locations, even when the app is not open. Bloomberg reports that the app is designed to let users find friends who are nearby.

Facebook declined to comment for Bloomberg’s story.

Bloomberg wrote that two sources told them about this app, which should debut in March. One of the sources told Bloomberg’s Douglas MacMillan that the team developing Facebook’s location software is led by product director Peter Deng, a former Google employee. This team also includes engineers from Glancee (a location-tracking company Facebook bought in May), and Gowalla, a location-based social network Facebook bought in December 2011.

The site reports that Facebook’s location-tracking app would be active even when the app is not open on the phone.

MacMillan wrote:

Facebook is adding features to help it profit from the surging portion of its more than 1 billion users who access the service via handheld devices. The tracking app could help Facebook sell ads based on users’ whereabouts and daily habits. It may also raise the hackles of consumers and privacy advocates concerned about the company’s handling of personal information.

Facebook Co-Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg did say during the fourth quarter earnings call that the company is working on mobile-first projects. This app, which supposedly lets users find friends who are nearby, could be the first big mobile rollout for Facebook in 2013.
Source:http://allfacebook.com/facebook-mobile-location-tracking-app_b110017

Would you use the app?