China to Track 17 Million Cellphone Users

China said it may begin tracking cellphone users in Beijing through location technology it hopes will help city authorities better manage traffic. But the announcement also sparked fresh concerns that the government may be using mobile technology to surveil its residents.

In an announcement, made through Beijing's Municipal People's Government Web site, the Chinese government said it would track 17 million cellphone users in Beijing through location technology to "publish real-time dynamic information to ease congestion and improve the efficiency of public travel."

Beijing is notorious for its traffic congestion. Last August, a 60-mile jam into the capital city lasted nine days. (more)

P.S. You can see a similar use of tracking technology; it's used on Google Maps (click on the traffic view). (How it works.)