Статья из the Times - как Facebook предлагает шпионить за друзьями

The Facebook tool which turns (превращает) your mobile into a snoop (устройство для шпионажа)

О сайте Facebook для тех, кто еще не знает, что это - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook

Husbands who are not where they are supposed to be (находящиеся не там, где они должны быть) could soon be in danger of being “sniffed” (выслежены) out by a mobile phone service that gives suspicious (мнительным/недоверчивым) partners an electronic map showing the location (месторасположение) of their spouse (супруги/супруга).
The Social Network Integrated Friend Finder (Sniff) is a new application (программа-приложение), accessed via Facebook or mobile phone (вход в которую возможен через сайт Facebook или мобильный телефон), which could bring an end to frantic (чрезмерно эмоциональным/неистовым) “Where r u?” text messages.
The service, popular in Scandinavia, promises to provide users with a detailed map (предоставить пользователям детализированную карту) of their friends’ locations, any time and anywhere. However, there are fears that Sniff could be abused (использован в неэтичных целях) by employers to remove the last vestiges of privacy from staff (уничтожив последние остатки неприкосновенности личной жизни сотрудников).
Useful Networks, the American company behind Sniff, promised that only consumers who gave their permission (разрешение) could be electronically tracked (могут быть отслежены) by the service, which operates across all mobile carriers (операторы мобильной связи). Users can specify (указать) who can and can not sniff (отслеживать) them, or whether they are open to be sniffed by anyone on the network. The company plans to charge users (взимать с пользователей) about 75p for each location “sniff”, with the results for mobile customers sent by return text. It will be the first Facebook application to apply premium charges to (которое будет прилагать дополнительные расходы к) customers’ mobile bills. The heaviest users in Sweden are wireless-connected members of the social networking site (общественного сетевого сайта – примером таких сайтов, например, является одноклассники.ру), who have integrated the application into their personal profile page (страницу с личными данными).
“Sniffing” works through similar technology used (посредством похожей технологии, используемой) by the police to track down (для выслеживания) suspected (здесь: предполагаемых) terrorists or missing (здесь: потерявшихся) children via their mobile phones. The phone sends a signal to nearby (близлежащей) base stations. Positioning software (программа определения местонахождения) performs (выполняет) a triangulation calculation (трангуляцию [метод расчета расстояния]) on the information from the base stations and converts (преобразует) it into a geographical location (географическое местоположение).
Brian Levin, chief executive officer of Useful Networks, told The Times: “Privacy is paramount (первостепенно) and sniffing should only be used by people you can trust. It is a fun way to solve the proven most popular text message, ‘Where r u?’”
Travellers who find themselves lost in a new city could also make use of the service. “You can ‘sniff’ yourself if you really need to,” Mr Levin said.
But employees who are enjoying a long lunch or a secret liaison (здесь: свидание) instead of the business meeting in their diary (дневнике) could also find themselves “sniffed out” (также могут оказаться отслеженными). Mr Levin said: “If the employer is paying the phone bill and employees are aware they can be ‘sniffed’, at least everyone knows those are the rules.”
Work surveillance (слежение за сотрудниками) is an increasing concern. Last week the German supermarket chain Lidl was accused of using Stasi-style methods (методы министерства госбезопасности ГДР) to spy on staff (для слежки за персоналом) and collect personal details.
Useful Networks, owned by the American giant Liberty Media, hopes to introduce “sniffing” in Britain this month.