Many internet users encounter search queries such as 'Track location by mobile number' or 'Live location tracker', believing that it is possible to track a person's location using only their phone number. There are numerous websites and applications online that claim the ability to determine a person's live location using just their number. Some of these resources display maps, while others require payment or the installation of additional software.
However, in most cases, this functionality is not achievable. This common misconception leads thousands of people annually into online fraud. It is important to understand that a mobile phone number itself is merely an identifier for a SIM card issued by a telecommunications company and does not indicate a specific person's address.
Information about a person's current location is restricted to the networks of telecommunication operators and the built-in geolocation systems of the phone. To accurately determine the location of a mobile device, the combined work of several elements is required: the phone's GPS signals, data from neighboring Wi-Fi networks, information from mobile towers, and the phone's own sensors. Even Google Maps uses this data, but only if the phone owner has explicitly granted permission for it.
Therefore, extreme caution should be exercised regarding any platforms claiming they can show a live location based on a phone number, as such services have no access to telecommunication company networks or your device's GPS system. Instead, some sites may only display an approximate city or state based on the initial digits of the number, old operator records, or an IP address, which is not directly related to the current location.
These fraudulent websites often begin by simulating a scan, showing the system searching for a location for several seconds. They then require the user to complete a survey, install an application, or make a payment. In some cases, attackers request personal data such as a phone number, email address, or one-time password (OTP), which is subsequently used for cyber fraud.
As for Google Maps, it shows a person's location only when the user voluntarily shares it through features like 'Share location in Google Maps'. Without such permission, Google also does not provide location data. Nevertheless, location tracking is possible under certain circumstances for law enforcement agencies. In India, the police and other investigative agencies request necessary information from telecommunication companies within an established legal procedure, using data such as call records and mobile tower information, often with a court order.
The method known as cell tower triangulation allows for an estimation of the area to which the phone is connected by analyzing signals from several towers. However, this procedure is unavailable to ordinary citizens. If a phone is stolen, an ordinary person cannot see its location by number. In such cases, the Indian government's CEIR portal (Central Equipment Identity Register) helps block a lost device and track it upon reconnection to the network, using the IMEI number, not just the phone number.
Cybersecurity experts strongly advise avoiding websites that promise to track location by phone number and never sharing personal information, banking details, or confirmation codes on such resources. If you need to find the location of a family member, you should use official location-sharing features in Google Maps or Apple Find My, where the consent of the other person is mandatory. Reality differs from what is shown in movies and TV series: without legal authority, assistance from a telecom operator, and user consent, it is impossible to obtain an accurate location based solely on a phone number.
Creators and editors will receive a new way to find out how users discover their content through the Google search engine. The company has implemented a feature in Search Console that reveals which specific search queries drive users to profiles on social networks such as Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube.
This new tool, called 'platform properties,' will be integrated into Google Search Console. It will allow tracking of keywords that direct users to social media pages. With this data, authors can identify topics generating the most interest and understand which searches help attract an audience to their digital channels. The goal is to consolidate information from various points of presence into a single space.
Among the platforms that can be analyzed are Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, as well as other content related to creators' digital presence. This initiative is part of the company's efforts to turn search into a central hub for monitoring online presence. Previously, in June, Google already allowed major authors and editors to register their own profiles in search with links to other networks and highlighting videos from TikTok and Instagram.
The new resource now adds information on how audiences discover these posts. The tool is also useful for specialists working with multiple digital channels, including those without their own website. Google emphasized that 'content creators and editors use various channels besides their own websites to reach their audience.'
According to the company, understanding how different content formats are discovered has become particularly important amid the rise in search queries related to videos, opinions, and materials published on various services. In an official statement, Google explained that 'as people search for original sources and diverse content formats, we want to make it easier for site owners and creators—including those without their own website—to get a consolidated view of how all their content is discovered in Search.' The platform properties feature will be gradually available over the next few weeks, allowing authors and editors to better control how their publications reach the public.
