In general, I like the Foursquare serendipity a lot. I don’t check in at my houses because I don’t want to broadcast where I am overnight, although I will check into a hotel when I’m traveling just in case someone is around. And I’ve got Foursquare wired to Facebook so things show up in my feed. I recently wired up Tripit as well (and to LinkedIn) and that has resulted in some positive serendipity lately.
But yesterday’s call spooked me. I didn’t check in for the balance of the day. When I walked out of Japango, I was a little nervous about where I physically was for the first time I can remember while in Boulder. And I had a heightened awareness of my surroundings last night as I walked home.
I haven’t sorted this out yet, but as an early adopter — and a promiscuous one — of location-based checkin — I’m rethinking how I use this stuff and broadcast where I am.
Such is why I decoupled TripIt from LinkedIn, and never connected it to Facebook. Why do we insist on telling people, sometimes strangers, where we are located at different times of the day? Do we really need to “check in” with our friends and family all the time?
I too can see the value of knowing if my travels are going to cross paths with an old friend or colleague. But really, do all my LinkedIn connections need to know that I am traveling to Walla Walla next week on a personal trip (I’m not, by the way) or going to eat at Big Mama’s Chicken Shack tonight (not doing that either)?
The narcissism of this is apparent. “Look at me! Look where I am!” The dangers that it enables are not so apparent. Location based tagging is both a narcissist’s and a stalker’s dream come true.
Be sure and read the rest of the article: Did Someone Ruin Foursquare for Me Yesterday? Brad Feld, Fastcompany.com