In a world where everyone carries a small computer in their pocket, it has never been easier to track someone’s location.
Smartphones, smartwatches, and even electric vehicles are all geotagged and easy to track, whether it be for personal and national security, personalized user experiences, or targeted advertising from large corporations.
Two of the most common types of location tracking are geolocation and geofencing – both of which allow external entities to locate a device with differing levels of accuracy depending on the technology that is used to do so and the device that is being tracked.
But while these two forms of location tracking may suit the same purpose, the technology and techniques they use to do so, as well as their applications, are entirely different.
This article explores the difference between geofencing vs geolocation, delving deep into how each technology works and how they can be used for location-based intelligence services.
What is geofencing?
Geofencing is a location-based service that uses a virtual perimeter, or “fence,” to trigger an action when a device enters or exits a specific area.
This fence is created using mapping software and can be any size or shape, like a circle around a store or a winding path along a hiking trail. It works by using GPS, cell data, or wifi to track the location of a device and then triggering an action when that device enters or exits the geofence.
Geofencing is most commonly used in marketing for targeted promotions. Stores often use geofencing to target customers with promotions or loyalty rewards when they enter a geofence surrounding the store, and event organizers can trigger notifications about the event or special offers to attendees as they enter the event geofence.
Geofencing is also very common in asset tracking and warehouse management. Geofences can be used to track valuable equipment or vehicles, and if the equipment leaves the designated area, it will be alerted. Warehouses can also use geofences to track high-value inventory or equipment, improving efficiency and preventing theft.
Types of Geofencing
1. Active Geofencing
Active geofencing relies on the user having a mobile app open that is actively using the device’s GPS location. When the user enters or exits a predefined geofence, the app triggers an action, such as sending a push notification or displaying a message.
Active geofencing is commonly used for location-based marketing, where businesses can target users with promotions or discounts when they are near a store or other location.
2. Passive Geofencing
This type of geofencing does not require the user to have a specific app open but uses the device’s location services in the background to track the user’s movements. When the device enters or exits a geofence, a trigger is sent to a server, which can then take action. Passive geofencing is often used for asset tracking, such as tracking company vehicles or monitoring the whereabouts of elderly or at-risk individuals.
As well as these two main types of geofencing, several other factors can be used to customize how geofences work. For example, geofences can be set to different sizes and shapes, and they can be triggered by entering, exiting, or dwelling within a geofence for a certain amount of time.
How is geofencing used in intelligence?
Geofencing can be a useful tool for intelligence gathering, particularly in the realm of Open Source Intelligence. When combined with OSINT tools, geofencing can be used to filter social media data based on location.
This allows analysts to focus on what people are saying in a specific area, around a particular event, or near a landmark. This can be valuable for understanding public sentiment, identifying potential threats, or monitoring developments in a specific region.
For instance, if there are reports of unrest in a certain city, you can set up a geofence around that area and monitor social media for relevant posts coming from within the geofence.
Geofencing can be also used by intelligence agencies to analyze historical location data to identify patterns of movement. This can be useful for tracking individuals or groups of interest. By setting geofences around key locations, analysts can see if certain devices or individuals frequently appear in those areas. This could provide clues about someone’s activities or routines.
Law enforcement and security agencies often leverage geofencing too, allowing them to monitor areas around critical infrastructure or potential protest sites. If a device with a history of suspicious activity enters a designated geofence, it can trigger an alert for further investigation.
What is Geolocation?
Geolocation is the process of identifying the exact, real-world location of a device like a phone or a laptop. It pinpoints a set of coordinates or a more user-friendly location like an address to find someone’s exact location in an area.
This is what allows mapping apps to give you directions, what helps you find nearby restaurants on your phone, and what ride-sharing applications like Uber use to find you a ride. Many social media platforms also use geolocation to allow users to share their location, check in at places, and see what’s going on around them.
Types of geolocation technology
1. GPS
The most common and accurate way of finding someone’s geolocation is through a GPS. This measures how long it takes for the signal to arrive from multiple satellites to a device to determine a device’s distance to each satellite. With these distances, the device can then pinpoint a device’s exact location on the globe using a mathematical process called trilateration.
2. Wifi Geolocation
Another key technique for finding out a device’s geolocation is through wifi positioning, which uses information from nearby Wi-Fi networks to estimate your location. Devices can detect nearby Wi-Fi networks and their known locations to estimate your position. This is helpful indoors and complements GPS, but accuracy depends on the density of Wi-Fi networks.
3. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
BLE technology uses beacons that transmit location signals. Your device can pick up these signals to determine its proximity to the beacon, useful for indoor positioning in places like museums or shopping malls.
4. Cell Phone Tower Triangulation
Cell phone tower triangulation uses the signals from several cell phone towers to figure out your approximate location. It’s not as accurate as WIFI positioning or GPS, but it works anywhere there’s cell service.
5. IP Geolocation
Even if a device doesn’t have a GPS tracker or network connectivity, it can still provide a general idea of your location by using your IP address. This is a unique number assigned to your device whenever you connect to the internet. IP addresses aren’t accurate, but they can often pinpoint your location to a city or even a general area.
How is geolocation used in intelligence?
Intelligence services like SIP International use geolocation in a discipline called geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). GEOINT helps analyze imagery and geospatial data from drones, satellites, and other sources to understand events happening on the ground.
Intelligence agencies can analyze data from various sources like GPS information, cell phone signals, and even social media geotags. This allows them to track the movements of people of interest, building a picture of their activities and whereabouts.
GEOINT goes beyond just pinpointing locations too. By analyzing imagery and geospatial data from drones, satellites, and other sources, intelligence services can understand what’s happening on the ground. This is crucial in conflict zones or for monitoring critical infrastructure like power plants or military bases, and analysts identify troop movements, assess damage from bombings, and even track the spread of wildfires.
Intelligence analysts don’t just rely on classified geolocation data either, and geolocation is also central to many open-source intelligence (OSINT) operations. For instance, geotagged social media posts from a particular region can provide insights for OSINT analysts into troop deployments, protests, or even natural disasters.
Geofencing vs Geolocation: What’s the Difference?
The key difference between geofencing and geolocation is the information they provide and how they use it. While geolocation determines a device’s geographical coordinates in real time, geofencing creates a virtual boundary around a specific area and only triggers an action when a device enters or exits that zone.
The technology geolocation and geofencing use to find this information is entirely different. Geolocation uses GPS, cell tower signals, or Wi-Fi to pinpoint your latitude and longitude on the Earth. This information is then used by various apps and services, like ride-hailing apps finding your pick-up location or weather apps giving you a forecast for your area.
Geofencing, however, uses the location data provided by geolocation technologies to define and monitor the geofence. When a device enters or exits this defined area, it triggers an action like a notification, a message displayed on your phone, or even activating a smart home device.
Key differences
Of course, the differences between geofencing and geolocation extend far beyond this. From function to size, and the data they provide, multiple factors make these two location services distinct, including:
1. Function
Geolocation determines your current location, and allows apps like ride-hailing services or navigation tools to show your current position. Geofencing, however, builds on geolocation by creating a virtual boundary around a specific area. When a device with geolocation enabled enters or exits this defined zone, geofencing triggers an action. This action can be anything from a notification on your phone to a security system being alerted.
2. Technology Used
Geofencing focuses on pinpointing the device’s current location with the best available technology whether that be GPS, a cell tower, or Wi-Fi. Geofencing takes the location data from geolocation and uses it to define a virtual boundary (the geofence). It then monitors whether the device enters or exits this predefined zone.
While not always used, geofencing can also incorporate time or direction of travel data to create more complex triggers. For example, a geofence for a child’s school might only trigger an alert if the child leaves the zone during school hours.
3. Applications
Geolocation acts like a constantly updating map. It uses GPS, cell towers, or Wi-Fi to pinpoint your exact location on that map, represented by your latitude and longitude coordinates. This real-time location data is then used in various applications:
- Navigation Apps: When you use apps like Google Maps or Waze, geolocation shows your current position and helps you navigate to your destination.
- Ride-Hailing Services: Apps like Uber or Lyft use geolocation to show you nearby drivers and track your ride in real time.
- Location Sharing: You can share your current location with friends or family using messaging apps or social media, powered by geolocation.
- Weather Updates: Weather apps use your geolocation to provide you with hyper-local weather forecasts relevant to your specific area.
- Augmented Reality (AR): Some AR games or apps use geolocation to overlay digital elements onto your real-world surroundings based on your location.
Geofencing, however, creates a virtual boundary around a specific area on a map. Here are some other geofencing applications:
- Location-Based Marketing: Stores can send targeted promotions to customers who enter their geofence (e.g., discount alerts when they’re near the store).
- Asset Tracking: Companies can track the location of vehicles, equipment, or even employees within designated areas for security or efficiency purposes.
- Parental Controls: Parents can use geofences to restrict phone use in certain areas like schools or restrict children from leaving a designated safe zone.
- Security Alerts: Geofences can be set around restricted areas, triggering security alarms if someone enters without authorization.
4. Data Provided
The location data provided by geofencing is less detailed than geolocation. Geolocation data is highly granular, often accurate to within a few meters depending on the technology used, with GPS being the most precise).
Geofencing, however, doesn’t pinpoint your exact location within the zone, only that you crossed its boundary. Instead, it provides information about whether a device with geolocation enabled has entered or exited a predefined geofence. Some systems might provide a more general location within the geofence for advanced actions, but not as detailed as true geolocation.
Final Thoughts
Geolocation and geofencing, particularly when combined with open-source Intelligence tools, can be powerful for gathering intelligence from publicly available sources.
However, it’s crucial to be mindful of privacy laws and ethical considerations when using geolocation or geofencing for intelligence purposes to ensure data collection adheres to regulations and only uses information obtained legally and ethically.
That’s why it’s so important to get in touch with an Intelligence service provider like SIP International for any location-based intelligence services, as we can tailor our geofencing or geolocation approach to your specific intelligence needs.
Our analysts are skilled in interpreting both geolocation and geofenced data and can look for patterns, trends, and connections that might not be readily apparent to someone without experience in OSINT analysis.
Get in touch with our OSINT experts today to learn more about the location intelligence services we provide.
