How I Use FourSquare

I am an avid FourSquare user. Rather strange considering that I also enjoy my privacy.

I have been using foursquare since 2009. When I originally joined, I tried to get many of my friends to sign up and they wouldn’t have anything to do with it. They have since come around.

I have convinced others to use FourSquare, including my wife and Matt, my co-founder. Both were hesitant to use it at first, but, after I explained how I used it they came on board.

Check Ins

Checking in to locations is completely opt-in. The main objection to FourSquare is strangers will know where you are. This includes the argument that Thieves will know when you aren’t home. The only people that ever see your “check-ins” are people who you want to know about your checkins.

The only other people that see your check-ins are people at the same location of the place you check in. But that is one of the neat aspects of FourSquare, you can meet other people at a venue you frequent.

Letting Others Know

I mainly use foursquare as a group text message service. Instead of sending my wife a text when I arrive at work, I check-in. If I am going to meet my co-founder at Coffee, I just check in when I get there, instead of sending him a text saying, “I’m here.” It just makes life simpler.

Path vs. FourSquare

I recently got my wife to start using path in addition to her normal use of FourSquare. After a while, I stopped using path because I think foursquare has better execution. When I asked my wife which she liked better she stated:

I’m still deciding. I’m not ready to give up my mayorships yet.

Hilarious! Her mayorships don’t mean anything and she knows it.

FourSquare gamification really is on point. I don’t think I am swayed by gamification, however, I can’t really explain why I like FourSquare better than path, so maybe I am.

Note: gamification is not in my default dictionary, but ramification is. Hm.