The era of smart devices and advanced tech has ushered in significant transformations in home security systems. Geofencing is one such innovation that has emerged. It is becoming more common in our daily lives, whether we realise it or not. And it’s been incorporated into home alarm and camera systems to improve security and offer convenience. No doubt we will continue to see more geofencing applications in around the home, promoted to improve our safety. But while geofencing may help to enhance security and offer convenience, it does come with concerns too. In this article we explore what geofencing is, how it works, how it can benefit home security and basically what geofencing pros and cons you should be aware of. After all, as we say at SecureMyStuffNow, staying safe depends on being smart.
Why Geofencing?
Imagine you bought a fancy car. You poured plenty of money into this thing and even had the interior customized. You paid extra for features. Well, luckily for you, it offers a geofencing feature. That makes a difference, because when you go shopping and park your car, you’re worried about theft! The geofencing technology in the car creates an invisible, stationary fence around your fancy parked car. When you leave the car, the geofence is engaged. If anyone were to move that car, it would break the boundary of the geofence, and send an alert to you.
Of course, the geofence is actually a digital fence really. It represents an area with a specific location and shape. It can can do that because it uses high resolution GPS.
How does Geofencing work?
Geofencing is a technology that creates an invisible barrier in the real world using location data, such as GPS or signals using cellular, Wi-Fi or RFID transmitters. When you pass through a geofence, you won’t see or feel anything different. But, if you’re carrying a connected device, the system will detect when you enter or exit that electronic boundary.
The geo ‘fence’ works on a single device and establishes a virtual boundary by selecting several nearby location points. It then uses available networks like cellular or wireless internet to communicate with other devices. When a device transmits its location close to the virtual boundary, the geofence can determine if it’s inside or outside the coordinates and trigger a pre-programmed action accordingly.
GPS helps us locate ourselves on the earth whereas geofencing determines our proximity to virtual landmarks. When used in conjunction with specific applications, digital devices can interact with the physical world in new ways. Geofencing allows us to set geographic boundaries without using physical objects or symbols. For instance, it can tell us if we are near a store or service center, driving past a library with an overdue book in the car or if our kids have stepped outside the local neighborhood.
You can set up geofences either by creating boundaries or by specifying a radius from a certain point.
Improving Access Control with Geofencing Technology
Geofencing technology can play a significant role in enhancing access control systems, smart locks and general security for homes. Homeowners can configure their systems to lock doors automatically when leaving the geofenced area and unlock them upon returning home.
With this feature homeowners would no longer have to worry about forgetting to lock doors or physically checking them as they leave. Geofencing technology has made significant strides in improving home security measures by preventing incidents such as leaving doors unlocked due to negligence or haste while rushing out the door.
There are several alarm systems that offer geofencing options. These include Frontpoint security systems, that are DIY but come with sophisticated automation and integration options. You can learn more about Frontpoint here.
Increasingly, there are security cameras that are geofence-capable. My recommendations are Arlo wireless cameras. There’s a variety of options like the exceptional Arlo Pro 4 or the more affordable Arlo Essential.
An example of Geofencing in Home Security
Geofencing might be a difficult concept to grasp. So, here’s an idea of how it works in reality within a home security system… Let’s take a homeowner, Sarah, who has invested in a modern, cutting edge security system that has bells and whistles including geofencing.
Create the geofenced area
Sarah will use her mobile app to control her security system. All mobile devices are GPS capable these days. And the GPS coordinates are embedded within Sarah’s device. She will open the security app and create a geofence around her property. Sarah draws virtual borders surrounding her property. She includes both her front & backyard along with the immediate vicinity of her house.
Leaving the geofenced area
Should Sarah step out of the geofenced zone for work or any other activity, her smartphone containing this app knows, because it keeps track of it’s position. It is ready to send a signal to her security system when she passes the geofenced boundary.
Arming the system
So, when Sarah leaves her property, the geofencing feature springs into action and sends a signal to the alarm system instructing it to arm the system. The security system is armed without Sarah having to remember to do it. Sarah also has auto-locks on her doors. These are also tied into the security system, and locked automatically when she leaves the geofenced area. Sarah didn’t need to pull out her key!
Notifications
As she passes the geofenced boundary and the system is armed, Sarah simultaneously receives a notification on her smartphone. This informs her that the alarm system has been armed and her home is now secure. This real-time update gives her peace of mind, knowing that her property is protected while she leaves.
Returning home
As soon as Sarah finishes work and returns back home and crosses the geofence boundary or comes within a certain proximity to it, the mobile device is aware. It sends a signal to the alarm system.
Disarming the security system
The signal sent to the alarm system disarms it. Sarah’s front door auto-lock is disengaged too. This allows Sarah to enter her property without using a key or manually disarming the alarm system. She knows that the alarm system has been disarmed because another notification is sent to her device for confirmation.
So, Sarah gets to enjoy peace of mind plus convenience. She doesn’t have to worry about remembering to lock doors or arm the alarm system. As she goes about her business, the system knows because her mobile device is keeping track and issuing the appropriate instructions to the alarm system.
Other benefits of Geofencing
With advanced capabilities within control and automation, geofencing technology has made a significant impact on the landscape of home security. But in addition to adding this extra layer of protection and peace of mind, there are other benefits, such as reducing energy consumption and enhancing cybersecurity.
Using geofencing to reduce energy consumption
There are many options for connected devices these days. These include lights and air conditioning. Combining these with gefencing can result in reduced energy consumption…. and lower bills. For example, the lights could be configured such that when the homeowner leaves the peoprty they and crosses the geofenced area, the ligths are switched off. Similarly, when they return they turn back on. No excuse to forget.
The same can apply for air-conditioning. There may be no reason for a homeowner to have the air-conditioner piping out cold air when they go on a shopping trip or to work. To save on power and bills, the savvy homeowner could use geofencing rules with a connected thermostat to adjust the thermostat based on their presence or absence at home. So, when crossing the geofence the mobile device would send a trigger to the air conditioner thermostat to adjust the temperature setting higher. Abd, when returning home, the geofencing rule would signal instructions to adjust the thermostat to a cooler temperature.
Using geofencing to enhance cybersecurity
Geofencing is increasingly being used to enhance cybersecurity. It works similarly to a physical fence that secures a physical perimeter. Geofencing can control access to digital assets by verifying the location of users. This provides an additional level of user authentication and restricts access to pre-approved physical locations.
Geofencing is best used as a part of multi-factor authentication. Although it is not foolproof, it can be helpful in keeping your organization secure. Geofencing is not effective against physical intrusions or employees accessing sensitive information, but it can help in scenarios where someone has remote privileged access or if a hacker gains access through phishing. A geofence can hinder progress by triggering an alert or denying access when outside of designated boundaries. To maximize effectiveness, it is better to set specific limitations within certain areas, instead of restricting all access from particular cities or countries.
Geofencing also has applications in social media and sharing. For instance, Flickr users have the option to establish a geofence that restricts photo sharing to friends within a specific area. This can provide reassurance to individuals who are interested in connecting with their nearby community, but are cautious about sharing their photos publicly.
The darker side of Geofencing
By now, you’re probably starting to see the benefits geofencing offers but also have some questions and concerns. That’s because there is a darker side to geofencing. And it should be a concern for any privacy-minded individual. You need to weigh up the benefits and costs of geofencing to your lifestyle. In particular, you need to be aware of any weak points a geofenced security system could cause. And, ask yourself the question how much information do you want shared on the interweb!
Failure Concerns
Geofencing is not foolproof. Certain events, like natural disasters or power outages, could impact the use of geofencing. When a credit card machine is down and you don’t have cash, it can be a real annoyance. But what if you needed something urgently? It’s a bit more than inconvenience then.
Similarly, ensuring that your geofenced security system is continuously working and remains reliable under all conditions could be a concern. What contingencies do you ahve in place? What if your mobile device isn’t on you? Or what if geolocation services are down or your battery is dead? What about the internet and your networked devices? You could put in some contingencies yourself, or also ensure that there are manually procedures to secufre your property fully in these events.
Privacy concerns
This is probably my greatest concern. I am privacy-minded. And I value my privacy and confidentiality. So I am always perturbed when I have to share personal details with others, especially big corporations. We know the many instances where data has been lost, stolen or used in inappropriate ways. So, with a third part service like your security system and mobile devices constantly transmitting your location details out into cyberspace, that grabs my attention. What measures are in place to protect my private data? Who has access to it? Are there any vulnerabilities?
Geofencing has the ability to gather personal data beyond the user’s original intent by monitoring our location relative to physical objects or landmarks. This technology can not only track our location, but also the places we frequent. For instance, if a geofence is set up near a hospital and records our regular visits, it may suggest health issues or loved ones in intensive care. Similarly, geofencing around a place of worship may infer religious affiliation. Or your frequent proximity to a nightclub, gym, female clinic or other identifiable locations may indicate more about your lifestyle, hobbies, health and affiliations than you would readily be willing to share with strangers. And of course, this information can be used in ways you may not want, perhaps even nefariously if in the wrong hands.
Geofencing is already widely used…
Don’t think that location-based information hasn’t been used to manipulate, persuade… coerce even. You may not realise it. Some of this may provide convenience to our modern living. But there is also plenty ways in which outside entities can and have intruded into our private lives, sometimes inappropriately and sometimes without consent.
Geofencing technology has become more widely used in marketing. Advertising can be served up based on a users location. For example, let’s say you’re in a shopping mall. And Kohl’s, through their app which you have installed on your phone, has geofencing enabled. It can trigger an alert via an SMS, sent to your phone informing you of a sale. You think it’s a coincidence. But their system, knows where you are, and they want your dollars!
But it’s not just marketing. There are tons of other applications for geofencing. Again, these can be helpful use cases. Or, some can be way too intrusive.
For example, a to-do task app on your phone may have geolocation activated. When you go near a grocery store, it prompts you with a reminder to buy the items on your shopping list.
I say all that to say, while geofencing can add further levels to security, peace of mind and definitely convenience, there’s also concerns that you should be aware of, the greatst of these in my opinion is privacy.
Management concerns
Finally, there’s the cost associated with installing and maintaining geofencing applications. A cost in money, perhaps, but also time.
Time costs
You have to take the time to set these things up. Devices have to be configured. Some of this can be more technical in certain instances. It may mean you have to create scenarios for your geofenced security system. After all, you share the space with others probably. What about their access to the system? What permissions should they have? Who should be responsible for configuring their devices? Then circumstances can also change. That might warrant a change in settings too.
Equipment costs
And the equipment for certain applications can be more expensive than conventional alternatives, like for example, a WiFi enabled, smart thermostat, or a smart lock on your front door.
Security system accessibility and affordability can be a hurdle for some people. Customization options may not fully accommodate unique needs either. Keeping the system up to date is essential for continued protection but will require additional expenses over time.
The Final Score: Geofencing in Home Security
Geofencing technology is a powerful tool. It has been introduced into the home security market over the past decade and it’s use will no doubt increase. It does offer great convenience and peace of mind, knowing that your system is arming and disarming based on your movements relative to your property.
Of course, there are costs associated with this kind of technology. Some of the geofence-capable equipment, like smart locks, will be more expensive than conventional alternatives. And there is a learning curve and time required to manage and configure these things. But the greatest issue that needs to be weighed up alongside the benefits, in my opinion, is your willingness to have private, possibly sensitive information about your location and habits sent through cyberspace, housed and then hopefully secured on a private company’s servers.
With convenience always comes a trade-off, and while it may be a no-brainer for many jumping into the many benefits of geofencing security systems, you should at least be aware of the potential trade-offs you make when you use geofencing on apps. And that goes for any sort of apps. Consider all the geofencing pros and cons. See what their privacy and security policies are. Check where they are physically located. Is it a foreign, unfriendly jurisdiction for example? What legislation is in place for your protection? Yes, there are some great use cases for geofencing, and that includes in the security sector. But, be sure to dig in and do your own research. As we always say… be smart and stay safe.