If you launch Foursquare, you expect it to know where you are. The app is explicitly designed to record your location when you open it and so nobody’s shocked if it, well, records their location when they open it. But users who download the new Foursquare are in for a nasty surprise. The app is now tracking users’ locations at all times, whether they’ve opened it or not. [More]
foursquare
How Foursquare Is Turning Your Check-Ins Into Ad Revenue
By 4.30.13
We never really understood the idea behind Foursquare. Then again we’ve never felt the need to broadcast our whereabouts to the rest of the world. Regardless, there are still plenty of people checking in at stores, bars, restaurants, and anywhere else you could imagine. But what’s in it for Foursquare? [More]
Heads Up: Foursquare Announces Changes To Privacy Policy, Will Share Your Full Name
By 12.31.12
Just reading the words “privacy policy” and “changes” tends to raise more than a few sets of hackles these days, in light of Instagram’s recent debacle. And now Foursquare is wading into the “we’re changing things, but please don’t freak out!” ring by emailing users that there have been a few tweaks to the service’s privacy policy. [More]
Chili's Gives FourSquare Reason To Exist
By 7.15.10
FourSquare, that helpful location-based social networking service for those oblivious to the fact that nobody on Twitter or Facebook cares which hardware store they’re frequenting, may have some redeeming value after all. That’s because Chili’s is now offering up free chips and salsa to those who check in at participating stores. [More]
Foursquare Was Leaking Your Data, Too Busy With Funding To Tell You
By 7.1.10
Wired says that a few days ago, a white hat hacker found a way to capture the location data of all of Foursquare (which we can only describe, for those who remain unaware of it, as a location-based, social media experiment in solipsism that distinguishes itself by offering Starbucks coupons) — even if users had opted-out through privacy settings. [More]
Starbucks Employees Are Cheating If They Are Foursquare Mayors
By 6.21.10
Reader Robert writes in to point out that according to Foursquare’s FAQ, any rogue Starbucks baristas that are mayors of their locations are cheaters.
For those of you who are confused, Foursquare is this thing you put on your phone. When you go somewhere, you “check in” and you get credit for being wherever you are. If you are the person who checks in the most at a location, you get to be the “Mayor.” Starbucks gives coupons for this honor, but some people are annoyed because the employees are always checking in (because they work there), and are sort of impossible to beat if you are just a customer. [More]
Discounts For Foursquare Mayors Causing Headaches For Starbucks?
By 6.8.10
Starbucks’ position on baristas taking up valuable “Mayor” spots on Foursquare has been made known to us. They’re “taking it seriously,” but, c’mon, they say, Foursquare is open to anyone. [More]
Foursquare Mayors Get $1 Off Starbucks Frappucinos
By 5.17.10
For those of you who don’t follow various internetty things, Foursquare is a location-sharing social media service where you can compete with others to be declared “mayor” of various locations. In an effort to make this actually have a point, Foursquare has teamed up with Starbucks to offer discounts to the Mayors of individual Starbucks locations. [More]
1983 PleaseRobMe, 1977 Foursquare
By 2.23.10
Technology is scary! People will use all these status and twitter and facebook updates to find out when you’re not home and come and steal all your DVDs! At least that was the ballyhoo last week when the site PleaseRobMe launched. Turns out, they were just reinventing the fear wheel. Andy Baio found an article from 1983 that warned consumers that burglars would know by your answering machine picking up that you weren’t home, and one from 1977 that advised against posting funeral notices in the paper, lest robbers make off with the silver while you’re burying grandpa. The more things change, the less they do. [More]
PleaseRobMe.com Lets The World Know No One's Home
By 2.17.10
The history of online social networking is rife with faux pas. From celebrities trolling hookup sites to people being fired for thinking they could blab about their boss on Facebook with impunity, there are countless tales of Internet lessons learned the hard way. And an ingenious — and some say dangerous — new site is out to demonstrate just how easy it is to find out when you’re away from your home so people can steal your stuff. [More]
6 New CPSC Recalls
By 12.24.08
The CPSC announced 6 recalls today: some Foursquare jackets, Hallmark Jumbo Snow Globes, Gardner’s Supply Company Candle-Powered Carousels, Munrie “Newport Rubbed Black” Cribs and Furniture, Woodstock Percussion Toy Drums, and Atomic Skis Ski Bindings.
