By RNZ
Emergency services are seeking to expand their ability to locate at-risk people through their phones and other devices.
Currently, people can only be searched for if they make a 111 call but the change will allow anyone in harm's way to be tracked.
Privacy Commissioner John Edwards, who's charged with making the change, said he supported it as long as it was regulated.
"There is potential for misuse, so we have put very strict rules around it," he said, adding that it would likely come into force in April.