World’s biggest social networking website facebook has finally entered the arena of LBS (Location based services), Recently facebook has come up with feature that will enable users to share their locations and tell their friends where they are using GPS co-ordinates rather than just writing update in their status quo.
LBS gained popularity with the rise in number of users who want to share where they shop, eat or play.Initially only US users can use this newbie through Facebook's iPhone app or by logging onto its smartphone site.
The product, which uses the GPS on smartphones, works by getting users to tap a "check-in" button to see a list of places near where they are. From there they can choose the place that matches their location and "create a story" in their friends' News Feeds on the site.
Users can also let people know who they are with by "tagging" any Facebook friends, but only as long as they check-in to the location as well.Location based services have been growing in popularity among users with smartphones.
One of the most talked about is Foursquare, which now has more than three million users. It plays up the game aspect of checking in with friends by awarding points and virtual badges. If facebook links this add-on with Advertisement & Offerings on LBS it seem that the social networking giant is looking for huge revenue from this App also as per facebook officials they are planning to provide LBS facility to all the 500 million users as soon as they can.
Facebook has also acted smartly this time with security issues the default setting are only from friends not to whole world unlike the previous scenarios. The networking site has given users controls over what and how much information they share on the service.
Facebook said Places is about "broadcasting to your friends, not the whole world".Users can remove themselves if someone tags them. They can also disable the feature if they are not interested to avoid unnecessary tagging.
