A survey conducted by the IT industry association Bitkom reveals that among German internet users, one in seven people (14 percent) has already permanently shared their location with a partner. Furthermore, an additional 23 percent indicated they could envision doing so in the future. However, for nearly half of the respondents, this practice is unthinkable: 54 percent stated they cannot imagine permanently sharing their location in a relationship.
The sharing of live location is particularly common among younger individuals. In the 16-to-29 age bracket, nearly one in four individuals (23 percent) have already permanently shared their location with a partner, and a further 35 percent are open to doing so in the future. Among those aged 30 to 49, 17 percent have already shared their location permanently. This drops to 13 percent for those aged 50 to 59, and 6 percent for those over 60. When looking at gender, there are minimal differences: 14 percent of men and 14 percent of women have permanently shared their location with a partner.
The survey also explored the reasons behind location sharing. 55 percent of those who share their location cite safety concerns, such as when traveling or at night. Forty-nine percent state that they have “nothing to hide” while for 47 percent, the practice is simply practical. Other motivations include: 28 percent find it normal within their relationship, and 26 percent feel it fosters a sense of closeness or connection. Twenty-three percent believe location sharing should generally be a normative part of a relationship. Much less often are external pressures or mistrust cited: ten percent share their location because their partner does the same, and nine percent because their partner expects it. Finally, six percent report feeling worried that sharing would otherwise cause mistrust.
