Making Geolocation Privacy a Priority With the Social Networking App face2face

Many big name social networking geolocation apps such as Foursquare, Gowalla, Loopt, Whrrl and the new Facebook Places feature have been scrutinized due to privacy concerns and all the fuss has been justified. When broadcasting location via an application there will always be a high demand for privacy. A free app called face2face has a goal to keep its users location a big secret. When face2face tells a friend your location it only tells them that you're in the area. It doesn't tell anyone what coffee shop, restaurant, bar, or other location you may be at. It only notifies friends that your in the general vicinity. Its easy to arrange a meet up if desired or just as easy to ignore that notification. It eliminates the awkward possibility of an unwanted visitor interrupting your lunch date.

The largest selling point and the reason face2face is confident the market wants what it has to offer all comes down to the concept of proximity over precise location. Unlike Foursquare and Gowalla there are no badges or awards to be won. The experience with face2face is all about connecting with people you want to connect with and avoiding those who you don't. Once face2face is downloaded (compatible with Apple, Android, and Blackberry products), it's fairly easy to jump in and start using it. The app has a chat feature that allows a user to make plans with friends by sending a message via Facebook, LinkedIn, or Myspace.

On the face2face blog the parent company Proximate Global makes no attempt to hide its opinions of the competition. In one post they downplay the novelty of earning badges and becoming the mayor of a location with Foursquare. They also make a point of noting that to really "win" anything a user must constantly be on their phones checking in. The face2face app is clearly trying to position itself as an alternative to the current standards.

Last month geolocation privacy was once again at the forefront of the news when Facebook launched its new Places feature. Places is similar to its peers except for one large difference in that users have the ability to check friends in to places as they please. Users must opt out of the feature if they wish not to partake. The option is available, however it is understandable that it can be rather annoying to opt out to stop friends from sharing your whereabouts without your permission.

The geolocation phenomena is still relatively new and there will continue to be new players to challenge the methods of the established names in the market. Privacy will continue to be a big topic for concern until there are no longer safety reasons to worry about when broadcasting location. The site Please Rob Me was created earlier this year to bring light to these concerns. If face2face gains momentum and has its way, privacy and location ranting will become a thing of the past.