Social media is everywhere around us, and recent studies show that Americans are spending a large percentage of their computer time utilizing social networking. With the growing popularity of social media, users have become accustomed to certain tools and features. From Twitter to YouTube, and even MySpace change is not always a good thing. Adjusting the platform to the taste of it’s loyal users could be a nearly impossible task. Some ideas sore in popularity, while others epically fail, what do you think about Facebook places?
Facebook launched its location-based feature on August 19th, and so far I still don’t know a single soul who’s used it.
Given the nature of Facebook and keeping in mind past brouhahas about changes in the social networking service, I thought Gawker.com’s first reaction was the most appropriate – “The First Thing You Should Do With Facebook Places: Don’t Let Other People Tag You”. I’m not saying FB is evil, but just that when they launch new features it makes sense to get a quick handle on how to control information about you.
Like many others, I rushed to shut off what I thought would become a flood of pernicious reports linking me to various unsavory New York establishments at inappropriate hours of the night (all of which would be truthful of course, just not fit for my mother to see, and she joined a couple months ago. We’re friends).
Instead, though, I haven’t seen a single trickle. It seems as though everyone has adopted a similar view on the subject: “I might be willing to do this thing you suggest, Facebook, but first I’ll need to see if anyone else has taken you up on it.” Either that or a slightly less engaged reaction like “Facebook Places?” or “Face Book… ???” Regardless, I’m just not seeing people using the service.
I’ve posted a few inquiries on my ‘book page, and didn’t get anyone who fessed up to using the service, or even had anything positive to say. Most of the friends who responded listed that their main objection was that they felt it to be too intrusive. I can see where they’re coming from – location-based social media services definitely feel strange when you start using them.
Being an inveterate fan of Foursquare, though, the reasons I’m not switching over are different. I like Foursquare – I’ve got a nice closed community of friends who I’m interested to see where they’re hanging out, and to whom I’m interested in bragging about my exploits about time.
One main reason I’m not excited to pull the geo-location stuff into my Facebook life is that Facebook really IS my whole life – it’s pretty much everyone I’ve been friendly with since I got on the service in college, and now even family (see: Mom). These add up to hundreds of people I don’t want to have to sort into to “share my location” and “don’t share my location” subgroups. Annoying!
Finally, Facebook just hasn’t made the case to me as to why I should use Places. Whereas Foursquare is an exciting, young, fresh new thing to try (have you used weeplaces to get a visualization of your checkins? So cool!), Places feels like something FB is trying to make me do. “You WILL integrate The Facebook into every aspect of your life, users!” Zuckerberg’s getting a little too pushy for my taste.
-Topher
So what do you think? Let us know on our Twitter account http://www.twitter.com/publicnyc @publicnyc). If you totally <3 FB Places, we’d love to hear why (#FBPlacesRulz). If you think it’s the new Google Wave, direct your hate our way too (#FBPlacesFail).
Tags: facebook place, geolocalisation
