Facebook adds Location Sharing Feature - Places

Location-based services are the next big thing that we're experiencing at this moment. Following footsteps of Twitter, Facebook has introduced new 'Places' location feature in its service starting off with its iPhone App. The latest version of the Facebook App for iPhone will offer check-in functionality with new Places tab right in the center of the app. Michael Eyal Sharon, Places product manager for Facebook, said, "Starting today, you can immediately tell people about that favorite spot with Facebook Places." This feature is available only in U.S. as of now.

 Three major things new Facebook Places offers:

- Let others know where you are

- Find your friend's location and tag nearby friends

- Discover new places around you

This new feature will let you check-in at bars, restaurants, coffee shops and several other places and share it on your Facebook update time-line. This new Facebook service draws a lot of features from the already existing location based services like Foursquare, Gowalla and Yelp. Places will also let you tag friends that are located near you. However, if you want to opt out from getting tagged by your friend, all you get is 'Not Now'. 

We can see lots of heat coming for the 'Not Now' option instead of Ignore or Never. Apart from that, users don't have any privacy control option to hide their location from getting detected while they are on the go. The feature's 'Here Now' option is turned ON by default and shows Facebook friends near that location. Along with check-ins, Facebook Places will also suggest nearby places that may interest users. The check-ins would be visible on the Facebook website as well but the check-in feature is available only on mobile phones. Also, those who don't allow tagging location, would appear as normal @tags in Facebook time-line. 

If you wish not to share your check-ins with you friends, go to Privacy Settings in Facebook and uncheck the new box under Applications and Websites. 

Apple iPhone owners can access touch.facebook.com from their mobile Safari browser for check-ins and tagging. 

 

Facebook Places surely looks like an interesting feature but the service needs to offer proper security options like Google Latitude for Mobile does. As soon as this new feature was unveiled, ACLU of North California pointed outcritical concern areas. The privacy concerns are bound to crop up unless Facebook quickly acts and provides appropriate options.