Space Race

As America's Global Positioning System (GPS) has become more widely used for both military and civilian purposes, European Union (EU) countries have felt an urge to develop their own satellite system in order not to depend on the US. Recently, China, as well as several other countries, decided to be part of EU's development of the new system known as Galileo. With more competition in the space, the accuracy of these systems is likely to improve and the applications will be even wider. However, says this article, although tracing individuals to an exact location could be beneficial for the frail or ill, it also raises concerns about civil liberties and their potential violation. – YaleGlobal