FourSquare is an up-and-coming social web app that provides context to place and people, allowing you to:
- Find your friends
- Get points and badges
- Discover cool things to do
To all those who are endlessly plugging it – many people in the web2.0, social media sphere – I have a few questions:
- Do you have a regular 9-5ish job?
- Do you have a spouse?
- Do you have children?
If the answer is no to all three questions, I understand your passion for FourSquare. Your life probably revolves around your circle of friends, what you’re doing tonight, where you’re going to eat, and who is going to be with you. You’re probably also in your 20s or early 30s. You are a grown-up teenager.
But for many more people, the answer to those three questions is yes. And for those, I think FourSquare is just not that interesting. The first (and probably most important) use of FourSquare – finding where your friends are – is just not as relevant. For these people, they’re busy, they’re eating at home with spouses and kids, they’re taking kids to lessons and practices, etc.
As for the second use – points and badges – umm … are we in grade school again? Get real, buy yourself a used Tamagotchi.
The most realistic use I can see is the discovery feature: what people have done that is cool and interesting and unique … and you want to do it on the weekend.
Am I wrong? Go ahead, flame me.
