Facebook Launches Location Based Product

adeelarshad82 writes "Facebook officially launched its 'Places' location-based product, backed by seeming rivals Foursquare and Gowalla. Facebook had been expected to announce a location service ever since it announced the press conference earlier this week. The Places service officially goes live August 19, although an iPhone app will go live on the August 18. According to Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Places has been in development for several months. It had three goals, he said: helping share where you are in a nice and social way, to see who's around you, and just discover new and cool places to visit in the future."

Comments

Turn it Off

[BoldAC]

I turned this off as soon as I could.

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/7046/how-to-prevent-being-checked-into-facebook-places-privacy/

I get social media. I really like most of it. However, I enjoy my fancy stereo and big screen TV too much to let people know when I am out of town or out of my house.

"Oh, I know that dude. He just bought a fat entertainment system and now his facebook says he's out of town for a month. Woot!"

No thanks.

Re:Turn it Off

[slasho81]

Oblig. link

Re:Turn it Off

[BobZee1]

no, i wasn't being sarcastic. i honestly have 1 friend and probably 2 or 3 acquaintances (co-workers that i will generally converse with about non-work related things). oh yeah, i don't have a facebook account. i should probably be modded troll or off-topic.

Re:Turn it Off

[Anonymous Coward]

It is generally accepted that most people have a circle of friends comprising about 150 people[...]

Either you are new here on ./, or you are confusing "friends" with "people you know".

Re:Turn it Off

[Abstrackt]

It is generally accepted that most people have a circle of friends comprising about 150 people[...]

Either you are new here on ./, or you are confusing "friends" with "people you know".

It's a symptom of having a Facebook account; "friend" now means anyone you may have shared oxygen with at some point.

Re:Turn it Off

[Americano]

It inherits the same sharing permissions as who can see your contact info. I have contact info set to "friends only", and "places I check in" now also shows up as "Friends only".

Of course, you ALSO HAVE TO ACTUALLY CHECK IN on a mobile device for any of this to be relevant, as well.

Unless you make a habit of friending people on Facebook who you expect to rob you, I'm really not certain I see the big issue; If you make a habit of leaving your Facebook info open to the world, then "oh noes dey robbin mah apahtmint" is probably the least of your worries, and you should go check your credit report asap.

If someone is determined enough to rob your sweet Sony Hifi, they're not going to sit there and go, "Gee, now what do I do, I can't see his Facebook to tell when he's out of town." There are plenty of ways to determine this without needing Facebook, and I'd venture a guess that MOST thieves aren't in the habit of trolling facebook for targets, when they have a whole world full of houses and apartments that are empty most of the day out there to pick from.

Re:Turn it Off

[SlashDotDotDot]

Of course, you ALSO HAVE TO ACTUALLY CHECK IN on a mobile device for any of this to be relevant, as well.

Apparently that isn't quite true. The link he provided implies that people can check on behalf of their friends. See items 9 and 10.

this is how...

[polle404]

account -> privacy -> Customize settings

change "Places I check in" to "only me"
and uncheck "enable" in "Include me in "People Here Now" after I check in"
and set "Friends can check me in to Places" to "disabled"


and you're back to good ol' privacy-invading facebook as you know it.

Re:basement?

[Anonymous Coward]

Air fresheners, porn, and fleshlights, of course.