As social networking tools expand, are they putting us in danger? A brief look at upcoming features Facebook looks to offer users as well as the spike in popularity of location dependent social networking tool foursquare. Check out more after the break.
Are social networking tools becoming too invasive? At an upcoming developer’s conference, Facebook is expected to announce the addition of location services for their users. In other words, now you’ll be able to tell people not only what you’re doing, but where you are when you’re doing it. The concept is hardly cutting edge, as sites like foursquare have been doing it for some time now. Nevertheless, the bold steps these social networking tools take means less privacy and potential danger for the user.
Please Rob Me!
As the popular site Please Rob Me (pleaserobme.com) points out, location services can also potentially leave your home open to burglary. If you’re at a friend’s house for a party, you can “check-in” at the house, and potentially spread his address all over the internet. Thankfully, if it the location hasn’t already been submitted for public consumption, foursquare also provides the option of checking-in without publishing an address. If you check in elsewhere, it also means that you aren’t at home. It’s an invitation for trouble.
Ken is totally getting mugged right now. LOLZ!
With the advent of these location-dependent social networking tools, users also leave themselves open for physical harm. Did you anger somebody you know lately? Make sure they’re not following your every move on foursquare. One moment you could be tweeting about this awesome new pizza place you found, and the next you could need an ambulance. It’s a lot harder to write 140 character blurbs about your day when you’ve got a broken arm.
Predator’s Paradise
If the internet made it easier for sexual predators to find their prey, these location dependent services can make it a cakewalk. Predators can look at who is checking-in at the mall and find out if it’s worth taking a trip over there to “bump” into someone they may have met online.
While these tools may have their appeal from a marketing standpoint, there are also frightening ways they can be exploited by people with bad intentions. As always, be sure to keep a tight grasp on your social media presence, or you could leave yourself open for the unthinkable.
