| A growing number of location-based services are | | | | "ShareThis" sites. |
| getting lots of attention for their ability to create | | | | Second, understand the privacy issues that you |
| new social opportunities. Just the other day I met | | | | create if your employees start using these |
| up with an acquaintance at a local grocery store: | | | | services frequently. Should you be able to monitor |
| he was updating his status on Foursquare as I | | | | someone's whereabouts during off hours? What if |
| was checking to see who else I knew on the | | | | they are supposed to be a business trip to Boise, |
| service was in the store. I looked around and said | | | | but are really having a soiree in Boston? Do the |
| hello, and we both went about our business, back | | | | usage of these apps fall under the responsibility of |
| to interacting with our iPhones. | | | | the human resources, legal, or IT departments? |
| While is the most popular, there are numerous | | | | Certainly, you should take a look at your existing |
| other services including Yelp.com, Google's | | | | privacy policies and make sure you are covered. |
| Latitude, Whrrl.com, Loopt.com, Brightkite.com, | | | | An article that tackles the larger issues (think |
| and There is even a site called that will track | | | | EZPass toll collection devices and red light |
| updates on three of these sites and mash them | | | | cameras) can be found on the Electronic Frontier's |
| up on a Google map together. These services all | | | | web site. |
| work in a similar fashion: you download the app to | | | | Next, if you don't have any corporate policy with |
| your smartphone or use an ordinary Web | | | | what employees link to their Facebook and |
| browser to indicate your current location. The | | | | Twitter accounts, even their private accounts, |
| smartphone apps can make use of the built-in | | | | now is the time to give this issue more thought. |
| GPS to determine where you are and present | | | | Should your people be permitted or prohibited to |
| you with a list of potential businesses nearby. You | | | | tie these location services into their status |
| claim one of these as your current location (or | | | | messages? Should you care that some of the |
| create a new listing) and the app notifies all your | | | | status messages are not suitable for the |
| contacts where you are. The downside is that | | | | workplace? |
| you need to create a new network of contacts | | | | If you have a retail business with an actual |
| for each service, although some of them can | | | | physical address, these location services have |
| leverage your existing Twitter or Facebook | | | | become new ways to attract customers. You can |
| address list. Users get awarded points for | | | | use the location services to publish limited time |
| frequent check-ins and get to display that they | | | | discounts or other offers for frequent visitors. |
| are "mayors" of places that they frequent. (For | | | | Many Bay Area restaurants are doing this, for |
| some odd reason, I am the mayor a drug store | | | | example, (and even a few here in St. Louis) and |
| near my sister's apartment in New York City. Go | | | | the entry cost is minimal. Some consumer |
| figure.) | | | | product companies are beginning to pitch to |
| But apart from providing new opportunities for | | | | Foursquare mayors as the influencers of their |
| stalkers and thieves is one notable site that used | | | | particular locations. Writing for a blog seems like |
| to list homes that were unoccupied based on the | | | | so yesterday. And I have written about Aisle441, |
| occupant's status messages), what can IT | | | | a startup company that is going very location |
| managers learn from these apps? | | | | specific by allowing consumers to find the specific |
| First, if you are going to get involved with these | | | | aisle in a big box store that they are in. |
| services, decide early on which one you are | | | | Finally, these services can represent yet another |
| recommending, if you are indeed going to | | | | tool in the arsenal of digital background checks |
| recommend any, for your user base to get | | | | that hiring managers can use to research your |
| behind. Each service has its own network and | | | | past. That means you might want to reconsider |
| can't share information elsewhere, other than on | | | | whether or not to post that you are doing shots |
| Twitter or Facebook. The Wall Street Journal now | | | | night after night at the local bar, or even that you |
| has an icon where readers can click on an "add to | | | | are at the local bar night after night. |
| Foursquare" button similar to the numerous | | | | |