As a Public Relations professional specialising in technology, I can say that I often get first-hand exposure to the latest web applications (as well as gadgets). So I remember when a colleague who had just come back from San Francisco was demonstrating the latest social media craze from the other side of the pond – Foursquare. She was very exctited, as she explained that with their phones, users could ‘check-in’ on a variety of places like restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores and even their place of work. Better yet, by being the user who checks in the most times into a certain location, you could become a ‘mayor’ of the location. This was around October 2009. Fast forward less than a year, and these location-based ‘check-in’ apps have become the latest social media craze. Foursquare, Gowalla and now Facebook places all allow users to ‘check-in’ and let their followers know where they are at any given time.While I admit that badges and the competition to become mayor can be fun, the truth is that the majority of people don’t guard their privacy as much as they should.
These apps enable any business (or any person) to know just where you are at any time. While your location is only available to your friends, anyone with Internet access can potentially figure out your username and see the places of which you are mayor. So they can easily know those places where you visit the most, and can potentially figure out the times when you visit those places. For example, a bar is most likely visited in the evenings, or a coffee shop in the morning. Any stalker with a little bit of web-savvy can easily figure out where a person is at any given time of day.
To businesses, this information about their customers is invaluable. Not only can they make special promotions to encourage multiple repeat visits, but they can also gather an enormous amount of data from customers who choose to check in, such as their favorite hangouts. While many people are excited about receiving especially targeted promotions, I tend to feel a little bit nervous with businesses knowing so much about me. But I must admit that we are at an age with information overflow, so personalised marketing is the way forward.
Whether you choose to join Foursquare or not, it is up to you to maintain your privacy online. While I think that Foursquare has done a good job so far in protecting its users’ privacy, it is up to each individual to ensure that they are careful with the information they share online, and that they properly consider all the pros and cons before using a ‘check-in’ app.
Foursquare is not an invasion of privacy, but Facebook is.
Yeah, lol. People signing up on Facebook back when the site first got popular, had no idea of the major breaches in the system, at least with Foursquare you know what you’re getting yourself into. You choose yourself if you want to show your locations etc. don’t you?
Just another part of the “everyone is a celebrity” culture where people think that anyone and everyone cares what they are doing and where they are at any given moment.
I always try and have the strictest privacy settings on things like facebook. All my pics, posts, location, friends, relationships etc are friends only, and email address and hometown are only me.
I hadn’t even heard of this check-in thing until a few days ago and only your blog explained to me what it is. I saw the new setting on facebook privacy set an ‘enable’ but with no idea what it was. I disabled it straight away and then just forgot about it til reading this. I don’t even know how long it was enabled for, but I assume I’d have to actively go into the app and let it know where I was? Doesn’t sound like something I’d really like anyone knowing, so I’m glad I know what it is now and can keep it disabled for certain!
You’re right, people need to be more careful as there’s so many things out there that give other people, people who we don’t even realise, an insight to some pretty personal stuff!
Foursquare isn’t that bad, here in Poland we have something else, Lokter – it’s nearly a copy of Foursquare, it’s all about geolocalization and this stuff, but they have no privacy settings at all.
I write for blog about social media (pretty big one), and yes – we had a lot of discussion regarding Foursquare. The privacy is important issue, yes, but we wonder if people really care about it these days. Isn’t it that people will prefer to get discounts or find out where their friends are, instead of caring about their privacy?
I use Foursquare and often wonder about privacy but I never check in at home or at work and most of the time I check in right before I leave a place. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed and not accept friends I don’t know well.
I’m on the fence about Facebook’s new “check in” feature. I’ve used it once or twice…but I’m not really sure if I want to continue using it due to the privacy concerns.
http://www.stuffyoushouldhate.com
Nice!
http://ninjawiththeorangetshirt.wordpress.com/
The ironic thing to me is that the same people who willingly post everything about themselves, including their daily locations, are ones who seem to be most upset when they think the government is collecting information about them. The government doesn’t have to collect info. They just log on.
Great post. I always set my privacy settings as high as they’ll go, and I’m always careful about when and where I check in via Foursquare (never when I’m out of town, for example). I figure there’s already a digital trail showing my whereabouts 24/7, and I figure that information is being shared and used in ways I don’t know about and weren’t intended, so sharing that information with friends and businesses I like doesn’t bother me (although maybe it should).
http://toddpack.com
I’m pretty sure privacy issue’s are common nowadays specially, since the birth of Facebook,friendster and other networking system.
My co-workers are crazy about Foursquare and it seems, you tell everyone what you are doing in your “status message”. I mean, not everyone wants to know what you are doing.. or rather would want to know where you are. I don’t really get the significance of Foursquare or the importance of someone’s status message: “munching on some brownie” then after a few seconds they’d change it to “going to the mall”, after that, “i’m at the mall”.. then “shopping for clothes” It’s… ugh. (Sorry for the rant) But I think, we should put a limit on what we let other people know about what we are doing or where we are.
I would never do this “checking in.” Although, I must say, stalkers are determined people. They will find you even if you are difficult to find (I had a stalker once-upon-a-time). But that’s no reason not to guard your privacy.
Crystal
http://www.crystalspins.com
For stalkers, this is probably an excellent way for them to commit their crimes… Other than the crazies, I do not see foursquare to be any more dangerous than the other social meia outlets (tiwtter, facebook, myspace, lnkedin, etc). People just need to be aware/warned that there are devious criminals out there that will take advantage of them. People need to be educated on the dangers.
Also, those who want to disable Facebook Places might find this Gizmodo article useful: http://gizmodo.com/5616338/the-first-thing-you-should-do-with-facebook-places-dont-let-other-people-tag-you
I personally don’t understand the point of this. If people need to know where I am, I’ll let them know themselves. I don’t need someone that I used to hang out with in high school knowing that I just got to the local coffee pub…I’m not that important and I’m not about to front like I am. If people are interested in my whereabouts, they can ask me.
It’s another step in technology’s steady march towards helping us in every element of our life. The thing is that in the days before mobile phones (another helpful technology) we were all much more punctual. If you arranged to meet someone then you’d be on time, because there was no “I’ll be there in twenty minutes” text option. You either made the appointment or you were rude.
Technology keeps helping us to behave more ignorantly than before. I’m not sure what the implications of Foursquare is to our behaviour, but I’m sure it will some how make us fractionally less well-mannered than before.
I agree. Do any of you remember how it felt to get a written professional and/or personal letter in the mail or better yet to make the time to send one. The time to do this creates an area for you to think, edit and deliver something with substance.
Like most technology use-Ironic. Every application and hardware is developed to make our lives simpler and easier. On the contrary. Use technology; however, at the end of the day, when leaving work, try to operate your life without it. Providing you actually are willing to think creatively of ways to simplify your personal life, Conventional means of doing things actually can make your life well, more simple and safe. So, who and what is running your life?
Good post!
I’ve got to say that I’ve always shied away from using a service like Foursquare. Call me crazy, but if you’re tweeting where you are (and don’t have the highest security on Twitter), you’re broadcasting to the world not only where you are…but also where you aren’t!! For example, I have a friend on Twitter that often tweets that he’s at such-and-such restaurant using Foursquare. Well, guess who’s not at home then? If I were a thief, wouldn’t that be the optimal time to break in?
I’m sure people aren’t thinking of the potential bad things that can come from these services because…well…they’re not thinking!!
On Facebook there is a place you can “check” 2 boxes in your privacy controls and eliminate that tracking, but most don’t even know it exists in the first place, and I find that incredibly misleading.
Great post. I have to agree with you about people not being careful about their privacy online. Since when are we all so important that people care where we are at every minute of the day? The only “check-in” app I will use is one called CauseWorld, where you check in to local businesses to earn “karmas.” With these karmas, you can raise money for non-profit organizations. It’s fun to collect them, and rewarding to donate. Plus, it doesn’t keep track of where you are at a given time, maintaining privacy. It’s great to know I can “check in” with a purpose, other than making it easy for stalkers!
I have been threatened on two occasions by two different people on another blogging service which is why I don’t do Geo Tagging…
People really are careless about their privacy these days. So many apps are so fun – I love my iPhone so much I tease that I’d marry it if I could (my husband has something to say about this…) – but I’m happy to say I’ve not gotten hooked on the location craze.
Laura
http://vintageminx.wordpress.com
http://culinaryspirits.wordpress.com
I have a friend that posts his location to Facebook all the time. He even said he was at his girlfriends house, and it showed the Google Map for it. I am not a fan of that. I would not want ANYONE I know showing my house out for the world to see. I try to keep my life private, and I will even search for myself online all the time to make sure my personal information is not out there for the crazies to find me.
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My brother just sent me an email inviting me to join foursquare…I think NOT!!! If I want someone to know where I’m at and when I’m there, I will just tell them myself. As for promos, Groupon and other discount sites are sufficient for me. Nice post.
when I read your post, my first reaction was something along the lines of “WTF, people actually do things like that?”. then I remembered how many people I know who can’t even leave the house without their web-enabled, camera-included, full-keyboard “smart” phone.
I must be hopelessly old-fashioned, as I have a cell, but beyond making calls, the only thing it can do is send simple text messages. never saw the need to be hooked 24/7 to the Web and as far as letting everyone know everything I’m doing…..why would they want to know? maybe people need to “unhook” themselves for a while, remember what it’s like to just *be* a person.
you are right, though, about people needing to be guarding their privacy and sorry to go off on a rant.
I personally find this app and the others like it pretty frightening… what happened to alone time?
They have the “location” setting on Twitter also, I find it kind of strange:/
I think it’s a bit silly that people would want to divulge their location with every tweet, which is potentially what could happen. But Twitter recently announced that a new API (application programming interface) will allow developers to add latitude and longitude to any tweet.
It’s up to Twitter users to activate this because it will be off by default (which is great, if it were Facebook I’m sure it would be on as default). Also, Twitter won’t keep the exact location data for an extended period of time although they haven’t said exactly how long it’ll be stored.
I’ve always gone with the idea that people who need to know where I am or how to reach me already do. Why would I possibly want to use geolocation or a “check-in” system to broadcast where I am and potentially what I’m doing to the world? There’s already too little privacy, and I see little reason to supply companies with marketing data without getting paid for it.
I personally find these types of applications quite worrying, and I am surprised that none of the comments above seems to have mentioned, apart from telling “stalkers” where you are, the dangers of posting your location online. One of the biggest concerns must surely be the simple fact that if you’re at your favourite café, then you’re not at home! As the website Please Rob Me made very clear, this information is not just available to friends, it is easily accessible to anyone who wants it, whether their intentions be for good or ill…
This application just caught on in Hawaii over the past couple months and I admit, I’m addicted to checking in and becoming the mayor of as many locations as possible. I was at a funeral this past weekend and I even checked in at the mortuary where the service was being held.
People knowing my location isn’t a really big deal for my privacy. From the ads that appear in the ad bars when I use facebook, I can tell that google and other companies must already know a lot about me so why be so secretive now?
I’d have to say that Foursquare seems appealing – though I recently closed my account. I never put my home on it, but I do see people on Facebook Places with their home listed and not really having any clue as to why this is an issue…
I think I just saw on the news where because of a Facebook status, people knew they were not home and they were robbed. Facebook keeps trying to give away personal information to anyone without first informing their members. I’m thinking about leaving FB. Great informational post!
Privacy is an issue here!
Hey, how do you manage to put the “about gabiwarren” box? It´s awesome! As the post of course
I think it is particulkar to this design, but I’m not sure. It’s in ‘my account’ then ‘edit my profile’. Hope this helps!
Interesting post. I am still in the experimental phase with 4sq, doing my own ROI (I is very low, did manage a few benefits already). Here is some more background info on location & privacy: http://www.eff.org/wp/locational-privacy, http://www.cdt.org/blogs/cdt/over-sharing-and-location-awareness
As a cartographer, I am always interested in ‘where’…. My guess is that if consumers could earn really points (like the ones you get at a gas station in the Netherlands), they would become fanatic with 4sq, and forget all about privacy.
Good point. That’s definitely something that people forget!
I don’t understand the point of FourSquare. I tried using it a few months ago, but what’s the incentive to using this site? To become the “mayor” of a place, a title given through the site? That’s not too prestigious. Giving up privacy should give more of a reward than online badges and “friends”.
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