Facebook’s new technology lets users track friends’ whereabouts

Soon, Facebook users in the USA will able to track their friends’ whereabouts using the site’s new “Places” tool. The feature, which is being presented to select users beginning next week, is said to allow users to share where they are, locate friends in the area, as well as check out local services and events.

While the inclusion of this new technology represents a new source of revenue and additional growth for Facebook, it brings with it unique challenges concerning privacy. Of the issue and application, Michael Sharon, Places product manager said:

“This is not about broadcasting your location to the world; it’s about sharing where you are with your friends.”

The Places feature will be accessible through an app developed for iPhone. Users can ‘check in’ from their phones and their location is then posted in their status. In the same light, users can look up friends’ locations when they are checked in as well – either through updates or through a separate Places webpage. If two or more friends happen to be with someone, they can tag them as being together.

On the business side of things, Places will facilitate Facebook gaining a larger portion of local advertising markets by targeting users with location-based advertisements – offering discounts and vouchers to encourage users to visit and trade at those shops and services.

The first wave of ‘Places’ is scheduled to be rolled out in the USA on Wednesday, with the feature going nationwide in the weeks to follow.