Geolocation features aside, I'm more impressed by the fact that Facebook has created something that's opt-in rather than volunteering people right off the bat.
Facebook launches Nearby Friends
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Re: Facebook launches Nearby Friends
#12What about automatically chatting with ANYONE nearby you that is using the app and "available" for chat?
I think this will be a good idea.
Imagine you in traffic, and launch the app to chat with the driver in the car side yours... The same could works when you go to party and don't try to find somebody "available" there....
This, for Facebook, should be easy, right?
Re: Facebook launches Nearby Friends
#13Great use of all that capital Facebook has been getting! This feature is old hat, and honestly, aren't we all a bit beyond this novelty?
I personally only want to hang out with people that have been invited to the event. This feature will definitely remain off, and Facebook will continually be relegated to a very small area of my life. (Rolodex)
Re: Facebook launches Nearby Friends
#14The problem with this type of integration in such a widespread app is that it can become problematic to explain to someone, like a significant other, why you would have a need to not share your location with them. It can be difficult to counter the "what do you have to hide" line of reasoning.
Re: Facebook launches Nearby Friends
#15I remember google latitude had this feature years ago and I thought it was really cool, but they killed it because people complained about it. I thought it was neat to be out at some family event or the mall etc. and get notices that your friends were nearby.
It's still there in Google+, under locations.
Maybe I remember them switching it from opt-out to opt-in then? Did that ever happen?
I kind of wish it was opt-out by default, but I know that would probably cause a huge controversy. People are already collecting your location data anyway - might as well use it with your friends/people you'd actually want to have it.
Re: Facebook launches Nearby Friends
#16[deleted]
Re: Facebook launches Nearby Friends
#17I can see both sides of this coin. On the one hand, the positive use case is actually pretty helpful -- I _would_ like to know if I'm at a bar and, for example, some friends are in the back that I might have otherwise missed. But on the flipside, this has the potential to turn a lot of social situations slightly sticky -- I immediately think back to a friend's "worst date ever" story where she was asked out by a guy…
It might be interesting if they could add some kind of geofencing feature to it. So you could have it automatically be enabled when you're hanging out at the bar you go to when you want to see friends, but be disabled otherwise. It's good that they let you turn it on and off whenever you want, but having to do so manually seems like a chore that will cause me to just leave it off all the time.
Re: Facebook launches Nearby Friends
#18I created a similar service a while back at http://www.nearbyfriends.com. Here is a video describing the launch: http://vimeo.com/15039067. I later added proximity alerts so you could see when your Facebook friends check in near you. Funny to see Facebook launch a similar "Nearby Friends" three years later.
Re: Facebook launches Nearby Friends
#19What about automatically chatting with ANYONE nearby you that is using the app and "available" for chat? I think this will be a good idea. Imagine you in traffic, and launch the app to chat with the driver in the car side yours... The same could works when you go to party and don't try to find somebody "available" there.... This, for Facebook, should be easy, right?
Do you seriously think that wouldn't just turn into a chatroulette insta-dong service?
Re: Facebook launches Nearby Friends
#20Not bad, I think this will end games of phone tag where people mention vague landmarks for friends at large events.
Due to Facebook's usage, I think this will take off. No need to convince friends unsuccessfully to install another app.