2.6.1.2 Ensure Location Services Is in the Menu Bar

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Information

This setting provides the user to understand the current status of Location Services and which applications are using it.

Rationale:

Apple has fully integrated location services into macOS. Where the computer is currently located is used for Timezones, weather, travel times, geolocation, 'Find my Mac' and advertising services. This benchmark recommends that location services are enabled for most users. Many users may have occasions when they do not want to share their current locations, some users may need to rarely share their locations. The immediate availability of Location Services in the menu bar provides easy access to the current status, which applications are using the service and a quick shortcut to making changes. This setting provides better user control in managing user privacy.

Impact:

Users may be provided visibility to a setting they cannot control if organizations control Location Services globally by policy.

Solution

Graphical Method:
Perform the following steps to set whether the location services icon is in the menu bar:

Open System Settings

Select Privacy & Security

Select Location Services

Select Details...

Set Show location icon in menu bar when System Services request your location to your organization's parameters

Terminal Method:
Run the following commands to set the option of the location services icon being in the menu bar:

$ /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.locationmenu.plist ShowSystemServices -bool <true/false>