Yesterday I spotted the first Facebook Places check-in on my news feed.

Facebook Places, a location-based social service, allows Facebook users to easily share where they are, what they’re doing and what friends they’re with using their mobile device. The 'check-in' immediately posts a status update to a user's personal profile.

Facebook Places is not the first location-based service on the market. Companies like Foursquare have also tapped into real world location check-in’s online, offering rewards or discounts at partnered businesses. In addition to check-in’s and discounts, Facebook Places gives users the ability to check-in friends with the tap of a button, whether they want people to be aware of where they are or not. Of course, users can disable this feature, but it raised a lot of questions about privacy.

When Facebook first announced Facebook Places, my immediate thoughts focused on privacy but also on purpose. Admittedly I am not on Foursquare or any other location-based service, so something may be lost between being an active user and being on the outside. Still I asked: why would people be motivated to essentially advertise exactly where they are at any moment and what risks would it create for personal privacy?

My ‘friend’, who is the first one I have seen use this service, updated to his friends list that he was at a Thai restaurant. I assume that some of the main reasons for check-in’s like this are self-centered. A user may want to get any available discounts that a business has offered by partnering with Facebook or they may simply want to share their whereabouts to show that they are social. In terms of importance for others, it is more difficult for me to find reasons for real world location online check-in’s. It’s not really interesting for me to know where this friend is at that moment, but to be truthful, many of the status updates that appear on my Facebook news feed are not very interesting either. Perhaps knowledge of where this individual is at that exact moment is more helpful for some of his close friends because they can meet up with him if they’re in the immediate area. Knowledge of his location also might be interesting for his family, partner or roommates if they’re hungry and in the mood for some good take-out. His check-in might also be useful for past girlfriends who want to keep… tabs on what he’s up to. Here lies the privacy issue.

The majority of Facebook users have friends on their list who they do not talk to IRL (In Real Life). A friend’s list may boast relationships with people users have lost touch with, met only for a moment or just don’t know very well. Does any Facebook user really want these types of Facebook 'friends' to know where they are? I’m sure the answer to this question all depends on personal preference, but I can say this, I disabled Facebook Places the minute it became available.

For those who share this sentiment, the following link may be useful.  http://lifehacker.com/5616395/how-to-disable-facebook-places