A new location-based social networking application for mobile phones hopes to attract those who are traditionally nervous about sharing their precise location.
Many people are well-versed at using the likes of Foursquare and Gowalla, which reward users with points for “checking in” at different places, but others balk at the idea of sharing their exact location details.
Launched by Pakistan- and US-based Proximate Global, mobile application Face2face aims to solve the growing problem of privacy and security of current location-based alternatives. While conventional location-based services simply pinpoint exact locations on a map, Face2face is pioneering the concept of proximity, or giving users the ability to know who is nearby without ever requiring that their -- or their friends’ -- exact locations be revealed.
Face2face allows users to tap into their existing social networks to see whether any of their connections are nearby. It gives users the ability to consolidate and enable their existing social and professional networks, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and MySpace, on a single platform -- so they can instantly access and control which friends and contacts know when they are in each other’s vicinities.
The site explains: “By using proximity instead of precise location, by withholding information from people unwilling to share their own, Face2face protects you while it connects you. It’s the first step toward our broader vision of a private, yet socially active lifestyle.”
So, for example, a user might be at a concert and want to check if any of their friends are there. They can then use the free chat tool to connect with them if they so wish. Users don’t have to worry about broadcasting the fact that they are at a Justin Bieber/Taylor Momsen/Coldplay concert (delete where appropriate) -- they can only share information with individuals within the vicinity, i.e. also suffering the same shame.
A powerful cross-network "friends of friends" feature also allows users to meet new people in a safe and secure manner. Built on the belief that real-world connecting requires reciprocity, no one can view another user unless that user is also visible.
Hameed Khan, Founder and CEO of Proximate Global, says: “We believe that worlds should meet, not collide, and as social media becomes more and more integral to our lives, it is important to also maintain and build relationships offline and in-person.”
“With Face2face, you are automatically and securely connected to your friends and business contacts. Users aren’t telling the whole world where they are, but rather enhancing when and how they connect with those in their extended network.”
Unlike the aforementioned Gowalla and Foursquare, there is no competitive element to Face2face. The app is about relevant, real time information so you know when your friends are nearby, as opposed to what it describes as ‘bragging rights’.
According to Tech Review Khan says users need a good reason to share their location information, and developers need to assure users that their location will only be shown to people they trust, and that this will be done in a way they can understand and control. Social and location information can also make advertising more relevant. So, for example, instead of just offering coupons to nearby coffee shops, his app may offer coupons to a coffee shop where a friend is already sitting.
The app is currently available for the iPhone, Blackberry, Android and many J2ME compatible devices.