To 'Check in' or not to 'Check in' - Location-based social networking

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The latest social networking craze has arrived in the form of online location services FourSquare and GoWalla. They are designed to encourage people to visit and experience places they may have never experienced in their local area - but do the benefits of these services and sharing your exact location online risk your own personal privacy and security?

Social networking sites such as Myspace, Twitter and Facebook have become household names with billions worldwide connecting to these services each year.

Two new social networking services are set to take a new twist on the format which allows anyone to share their current location on the web instantly by announcing it on your mobile phone or device - be it your favourite bar, restaurant, store or local landmark.

The new services are called FourSquare and GoWalla. Separately they are fighting to become the latest social networking moguls to join the vastly popular Facebook and Twitter empires.

So what is GoWalla & FourSquare?

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The main idea behind these services is to share your favourite store, bar or restaurant by instantly announcing or “checking in” your current location on the web via your mobile phone or device. Your exact location is then posted on the FourSquare or GoWalla sites for all of the world to see. You can also add a little comment about the place/location you are at – example:  Say if you were at Gloria Jeans at Toowong - you could let everyone know that you are currently there and add a comment like “This place makes the best hot-chocolate!” As an extra benefit, FourSquare and GoWalla also offer virtual rewards for your travels, which almost makes leaving home a bit of a game.

As you add more locations to where you are/have been, you are rewarded by adding points or unlocking virtual prizes (ie. Badges, awards etc). The other benefits of FourSquare and GoWalla are gained by your online friends, in the form of allowing them to discover new locations in their local city or area that they may not have otherwise known about. But, before you grab the phone and tell the world your pin-point location, there is one underlying risk that you may need to consider…

The Underlying risk...

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As you check-in to instantly let your “friends” know where you are, you also may be notifying some not-so-friendly individuals of when to make a house call while you are away.

Recently a UK insurance agency report has labeled frequent social networking users as ‘easy targets’ after organised criminals have been found sifting through profiles on social networking sites (such as Facebook) to identify targets and to uncover their social schedules in an attempt to find out the best time to rob their homes. The problem is starting to become so common in the UK, that insurance agencies are starting to consider raising premiums for social networking users.

In a more specific example, a US couple has learned the hard way to be a little more protective about what details they disclose online after their home was broken into whilst attending an event they had posted earlier on their Facebook profile. Fortunately the entire robbery was captured on camera and upon viewing the footage, the victim noticed that the assailant had a strikingly familiar appearance to a supposed “friend” she had recently added on Facebook.

Your Thoughts?

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So with this in mind:

• Would you feel comfortable using services like FourSquare or GoWalla?
• Do you think the benefits of these services outweigh the risks?
  

Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below!