There is, however, a newer trend in social media that I don't quite understand: location updating. Applications such as Foursquare are a way for people to let their friends know where they are at, and by looking at updates they can see where their friends are (or were recently). You can also post reviews for a particular place you've visited, and you can potentially get rewards from establishments for mentioning that you were there.
Is there a real value to this? I'm sure some people find it fun to use, but for the most part it seems like a hassle. Also, some of the more powerful social media users may not want their thousands of followers to know where they are at all times. So what benefit does this technology provide that might interest mainstream users?
This article on Mashable examines some of the issues with social location tools going mainstream, but believes there are upsides:
One of the ultimate promises of location-based checkins is more accurately targeted advertising. For some users, the privacy concerns of sharing their location might be trumped by the potential utility of receiving highly targeted advertising and promotions.I'm not so sure targeted advertising will appeal to a mainstream audience, at least not in the next couple of years. The article also mentions that Facebook and Twitter have thrown their hats in the social location ring, so perhaps they can figure out how to add value to the average user.
What about you, do you use location tools such as Foursquare? If so what do you enjoy about it?
