Facebook Places gets a new location-based networking program to start working with. This should be great for the social site. Smartphone’s with some GPS can use Facebook Places. Friends can see each other on the program. Facebook Places also lets users tag friends who are with them. Places also makes it possible to find new places you might be interested in. Broadcasting a user’s location has created an additional layer within the Facebook privacy issues debate. Facebook Places gives companies a powerful tool for mobile advertising and search. It would be easier for a criminal to find somebody close to target. It is easy to disable Facebook privacy settings although it will continue to be difficult to keep personal details safe.

Article source – Facebook Places – the privacy issues of location-based networking by Personal Money Store

Facebook Places – a tool for mobile advertising

Friends will automatically see all of a users information that is location based upon with Facebook Places depending off of other networks like Foursquare and Gowalla. The New York Times reports that Michael Sharon, works for Places, says that Places wants to get a minimum of 500 million Facebook users to use this program. Places will do a lot better if it is able to get an advantage over Google with advertising with all the small companies for Facebook, says the Times. Analysts say both companies covet the potential market for mobile advertising and search. Identity and behavior is studied this way. Corporations will benefit when knowing what human behavior is turning into.

Facebook Places privacy issues

Advertising is the primary purpose of Places which allows users to be seen at any time. Sam Diaz from ZDNet thinks it is creepy to watch people like that. Diaz writes that given the ability of guests at a party at his home turning his address into a public “place” on Facebook, his only recourse is to flag his address to have it removed. He also doesn’t think friends should be able to tag each other. You are able to really choose whether or not you get tagged. Just go look at your privacy settings. Burglars could effortlessly use Facebook Places to their advantage. Knowing who’s and is not home will make a huge difference.

Get a way to disable Facebook Places

Facebook users should listen up. Keep your location on private settings with tips from Lifehacker. Disabling Facebook Places calls for logging in and changing the Facebook privacy settings. Users will automatically have their default settings as allow locations with Facebook Places. Also, by default, you will be shown when someone searched to discover who is near or will show your location on your Facebook Page. Facebook has one other thing you should know about this default privacy setting. Friends of friends can see it meaning people you don’t know might know exactly where you are.

Find more info on this subject

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/08/19/technology/19facebook.html?ref=technology

ZDNet

zdnet.com/blog/btl/facebook-launches-places-geo-location-service-thats-both-cool-and-creepy/38203

Lifehacker

lifehacker.com/5616395/how-to-disable-facebook-places