Foursquare, not just a neigborhood game… T.O.W. #7
Foursquare is something I’ve been seeing constantly on Twitter. Many Twitter users are posting are chattering about Foursquare and I have been pretty confused on how a game where you bounce a ball standing in four squares is such a large topic of conversation on Twitter…
Well, It’s not a childhood game. Foursquare is a phone application that people with Iphone, Blackberries and other smart phones can use to keep friends in the loop of where you are, and what you are doing! As user of foursquare would “check-in” with where they are visiting and what they like to do in that city, their favorite restaurants, museums, etc. From there Foursquare is able to make a list of the favorite things that the foursquare user likes to do, and publishes it to your friends. If foursquare notices that you are a loyal or frequently returning visitor of a location you can become the “mayor,” of the location.
I think foursquare is something that companies should take advantage of for their benefit. Using foursquare companies can monitor how often people frequent their establishment along with their competitors establishments. They can take this information and find out who to target, who to thank for visiting, nd how to get more visitors to come to them. Also, foursquare is beneficial with giving companies recognition. If a foursquare user posts that they visited Snooky’s in Statesboro, Ga., obviously the foursquare users friends will gain in interest in finding out more about Snooky’s and what Snooky’s has to offer them!
Where there are positives there are always negatives. Foursquare can be potentially dangerous for individual users. People can use foursquare to track individuals, this could be dangerous as far as stalkers, or crime. It is important when using applications like this for users to be smart about what they are posting and when they are posting, as it could lead to a dangerous situation.
Overall, I think with foursquare used safely, it’s a really innovative and smart new application that businesses should utilize and that individuals will really enjoy.
Filed under: PRCA 3030, TOW | 2 Comments
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Mackenzie Stratton's Thoughts 
I agree with you that Foursquare can benefit businesses but at the same time it kind of bothers me to give out your location 24/7. It doesn’t strike me as very safe. Yes, stalkers may find it a fun game but me, not so much. It is a very new thing for me so I cannot fully say it is a negative thing. I just want more information. I can see how Foursquare will help business monitor customer flow and frequency but I just do not see the individual benefits at the moment. Being this is a newer site maybe the more I learn about it the more comfortable I will feel about it.