This week facebook released their updated facebook app on iPhone. In this update was a new facebook feature called places. Not only does facebook know everything about you and your friends already but now they want to know where you go.  Services already fill this space such as foursquare. When you visit a location such as movies, coffee shop or where you buy your lunch you check in. Foursquare give you points for each check-in and over time you earn badges and mayorships.

As anyone who is friends with me on facebook I share some of my check-ins on twitter which automatically get posted to facebook. People then see where I am. I am happy with this as they might come and join me. Or as last night when I checked-in to the pub my friends were bitching I wouldn’t be riding in the morning.

However facebook want to erase the competition because from the video below they want to use your location to connect you with your friends. They are promoting this as a service to help you. It has nothing to do with gaining so much more information on you. knowing your location and the business you visit creates a mass more opportunity for facebook advertising. They then know where you go and what you like. The facebook experience becomes so much more tailored towards you. The approch facebook seem to have taken is they want to help you find your friends and make bumping into them much more likely.

Right now I don’t want to start giving facebook this information on me but if others start to do it I may do too. See what its usefulness is to you. But know what it is your handing over.