Foursquare is the latest social networking tool to generate online buzz. It promises something new. It leads the way in a wave of “geolocative” social networking tools. In addition to offering the communal connectivity of Twitter and Facebook, Foursquare also uses a smartphone’s global positioning system (GPS) to broadcast your precise location to your “friends” and, should you wish, to the wider world.
Companies have been quick to realise the potential of this technology with Starbucks, Debenhams and others offering loyal customers who frequently check in to their stores, rewards such as a free cup of coffee.
It’s potential gives a whole new meaning to the supermarket loyalty card.
But with such power comes responsibility. It might be great for a free latte, but at what price to your privacy? There is a big worry that you don’t know who can read your information, as to where you are. Accept a friend request in Foursquare without due care, and you are potentially opening up your personal diary to a complete stranger.
But many say Foursquare’s primary motivation is growth, and not the privacy of its members. They need a critical mass of users to make the service more useful. Critics point out that a warning of the risks should be prominently displayed to users when they set up their accounts.
Foursquare has recently reached the 2m users landmark, and this figure is growing all the time. The issue with location-based information, is that it exposes a new layer of personal information if you like; our exact physical location at anytime, anywhere.
So the decision is up to you. If you want everyone to know exactly where to find you, then Foursquare is perfect for you. Our advice is this..only accept friend requests from friends. And make yourself fully versed on the what this all entails and the risks that it involves. Participate in online communities of course, but with care.