BootStrap

The ‘new’ privacy in Location-based Social Application

By the end of SXSW 2009, suggestions were abound that the year’s breakout hit might be foursquare, a then new location-based social application with a gaming twist that was created by the defunct Dodgeball guys.

Those very sentiments resounded frighteningly loud at the recently held, invites only, bloggers’ meet up at the lush HQ of one of the most progressively creative technology companies here. What the bloggers didn’t anticipate was the test run of a location-based smartphone social networking application that seems to refine social privacy, control, and connection.

face2face

Aptly named face2face, the social networking LBS smartphone application’s primary function is to help you figure out where your friends are – BUT connect based ONLY on strict proximity controls, where your precise location is never advertized. The potential scare that LBS social privacy may instill in users has caused much ado about a lot when it comes to an individual’s choice of selfcasting details about their exact whereabouts.

A Win

Although similar to services like Loopt, Rummble, BrightKite, and Foursquare in fundamentals in user-centricity, what takes Face2Face ahead of the curve is the very privacy factor in selfcasting, giving the user super-tight control of the whole experience, which typically starts by opting in first via a mobile interface.

Face2Face wins here hands down! The whole application idea revolves around proximity – user logs in with their current social network credentials, the app broadcasts possible friends (or someone the user has previously interacted with on their existing social networks) relative only to the individual’s location proximity. Although this idea may tend to sway away from the whole location-based service concept, what it, in fact, does is allow users absolute navigation, roaming, connecting, reviewing, and recommendation powers, all whilst not risking their personal profiles.

So what if I’m not a Mayor

Although too early to tell, using Face2Face may just be the only incentive users might need – initially at least. ‘Checking in’ frequently at a variety (or just one) of the geo-locations may not get you the ‘mayor’s’ status (just yet!), but it has open advantages where you – the user – will eventually get to drive consumer benefits.

From what was witnessed at the face2face bloggers’ meet up, it was all clear: the application is FUN, ADDICTIVE (people actually forgot to eat!!), and makes sense – personal AND professional!

The Real Test

Face2Face is potential rich. A business model with revenue channels built around events, conferences, and campaigns can see the application’s attraction expand ten-fold. The application has already launched it’s customized branded application for Coke Studio, one of the nation’s most appreciated and watched events.

Face2Face clearly intends to, and possibly can, reach out to the masses, especially the 16 – 24 age group, in more ways than can be imagined. And yet, it can become synonymous with words like Safe, Productive, Knowledge-sharing, and Ease-of-use.

Built by the guys behind Creative Chaos, and owned by Proximate-Global, Face2Face is a location-based social networking application that has a slick interface built on state-of-the-art robust infrastructure, and complemented by smartphone technologies.

How the application will fare amongst the ever-wanting-for-more social crowd is yet to be known, but the fact that it gives one a sense of security and control, along with ease of use, only makes for a very interesting scenario.

Application: Face2Face
Founders: Umair Aziz and Shakir Hussain
Company: Proximate Global
Platforms: iPhone, Android, Blackberry, J2ME
Website: Face2Face

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 at 10:14 pm

and is filed under Reviews .
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