1, 2, 3, Foursquare

TOW #7…Foursquare…Ummm what is this??

I remember making up random rules while playing foursquare at recess as a kid. I would make up anything that would give me an advantage over the other players. Some would call it cheating but I call it a creative win! Well the topic of this post is not about the Foursquare you played on the playground as a child. But it is a creative win!

Foursquare is like a check-in service. It allows you to check in to places and explore things around you. You can do it with friends or by yourself and you even earn badges for what you find. It’s simple, free and all you need is your cell phone, Foursquare, and a desire to find out more!

I think this is creative because you can share your location with others, have fun with friends and get great deals on places all over your local area by simply checking in. I mean like who thought of this?? Companies can actually send you coupons and other deals for checking in or visiting their business. The more you do it the more you badges and deals you get. Win right?

However, as with any other creative new invention there is a downside. Not only could this be dangerous it’s also a little scary. This information you are sharing with your friends and the world could potentially put you in the center of harm. What if you had a bad break-up and your spouse follows you on Foursquare. So they see where you are and when you are there. What if they flip out and decide to hurt you? They now know exactly how to find you! And with so much technology and identity theft these days they could even make a bogus profile to get more information.

I guess this is just a reminder that you MUST be careful of what you put out on the internet. Parents should take special interests to help their kids protect themselves on the web by setting up privacy settings and establishing rules to follow. Adults should also be aware of the same dangers. Foursquare maybe fun but realize that people today are crazy and the internet is a playground for them to prey. You never know who is behind the screen & keyboard.

I think Foursquare like all other social media sites have ups and downs. I strongly advise people to be careful about what information is out there about you. Don’t become so social-media addicted that you can’t see the dangers in having fun. Know the risks and protect yourself.

Photo Credits:

top:screen shot video by: Vaughn Hannon

middle: creative commons by dpstyles

right:Creative Commons By: lukasch