Are YOU in the Loopt?
There are many social networking sites that allow you to put your information out there for the world to see. However, it is becoming increasingly popular to share location information with your friends using cell phone applications. It’s important to realize that your information is not always protected, and this technology can put you in danger if your location falls into the hands of the wrong person. When using these applications, make sure you know the person who is accessing your profile and they are someone you can trust with this information.
The people at Loopt helped start this location sharing trend in 2006 and are now the leading company in this area. They’ve made it possible for cell phone users to share their status, photos and location using GPS-enabled cell phones. Users are able to request alerts when friends are close, send messages to friends in a particular area, and tag or blog physical locations to friends. People using Loopt can also take pictures from their cell phones and tag them; these pictures will be available to friends and others on the Loopt network.
Gowalla is another location-based social network, but uses game mechanics to motivate its users to go places, participate in activities and meet up with friends. Players use a GPS device from their smartphone to check in at various places. The application allows individuals to share their location information with friends, and leave comments about the places they visit. They get rewarded for their travels by earning iconic stamps for visiting different locations. Check-ins and trips can be shared on the web through Facebook, Twitter or the Gowalla website.
A similar application to Gowalla is Foursquare, which enables the user to “check-in” and tell friends where they are. When a user checks-in someplace, their friends are notified about where they can find the user. Foursquare can send the user recommendations about interesting places to visit, or nearby activities they can participate in. People can check-in to places such as cafes, bars, restaurants, parks, homes, or even the office. It is a way to meet up with friends and learn about their favorite spots, or even discover new places you never knew about. Every check-in earns you points, and when you start checking-in to more interesting places with different people, you start unlocking badges. If you return to a location often, you can even become mayor of that location. There are some benefits to being a mayor, and some places give out free stuff and coupons as a reward for your loyalty.
This is neat technology, but you should always be careful about how much information you share. If you don’t want a certain person or people to know about your location, you probably shouldn’t be adding them as a friend on Loopt. In order to protect your location information and yourself, you should be wary of people who you include as your friends. Never include someone you don’t know or don’t know well. And always be wary of people who are not your friends that want to know your location – they most likely have ulterior motives. With these safety considerations you can have fun and stay in the Loopt!