Last week I found a new application (or I do not know how to name it) called Foursquare. It is "a cross between a friend-finder, a social city-guide and a game that rewards you for doing interesting things. We aim to build things to not only help you keep up with the places your friends go, but that encourage you to discover new places and challenge you to explore your neighborhood in new ways." It is mobile application and through mobile phone you are checking-in on different places. You can also write tips (like bacon in xy restaurant is very good) or can collect badges (you become mayor of certain place, when you check-in more then anyone). You also collect points (for which is not yet known how to use them in real world) and it is interesting that some companies (like coffee shops or restaurants) are offering for example free coffee for those who become mayors of this place. So this application can be personal or can be another tool for different companies for making promotion. Oh and did I mention it is also compatible with Twitter and Facebook?
Of course this kind of application raises many different questions. Mostly questions about privacy and personal data. Maybe for some people this kind of real-life/on-line game is intriguing and funny to play but for me is a whole leap for making our real lives more and more compatible with on-line. Why would you share information where are you with everyone (well with your friends but if you share this also on Facebook and Twitter this "friends" become more loose concept)? Location is very sensitive personal data and should not be shared with everyone. So I think that 4sq is just another application which is pushing the limits of our real life. And also it is interesting that concept of gaming which is traditionally connected with online world and identity is becoming more in more interwoven with real life. If we think that Second World was new and controversial, 4sq is even more because of our personal data and security.
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