Social Location Tools and New Media

| By Ben Simpson | Found in Technology, The Web | 3 Comments

Over the past several weeks, the use of tools like foursquare and Gowalla has exploded within my social network. I’ve been aware of these technologies for quite some time, but it hasn’t been until recently that a number of the pastors and leaders with whom I’m connected have begun alerting the world to their latest moves. Now I’m privy to when my friends work out or when they visit Dunkin’ Donuts. Sometimes I wonder why I should care.

For those of you who use these social location technologies, why do you do so?  And how have these tools served your ministry?

Also, if any of you have read excellent resources on these tools and how they can be used effectively, I’d love for you to share your sources. If you use these tools, you blog, and you’ve provided your rationale for using these tools, I’d be grateful for the link. And if you have objections to these tools, I would like to read your thoughts as well.

This is an opportunity for our intelligent, media savvy community here at COLLIDE to teach me something. I can’t wait to see what you have to say.

  • http://donteatthefruit.com/ John Dyer

    You know when Old Testament guys would build altars [or 'ebenezers'] to the Lord to serve as physical reminders of when and where God acted in their life?

    I think it would be cool if there were some way to do that with location services.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Beaconhillnw @jim_gray

    Foursquare is a cross between a friend-finder, a social city-guide and a game that rewards you for doing interesting things

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/bensimpson Ben Simpson

    Jim, not sure if you intended this or not, but your description sounds eerily similar to a quote I read recently in an Onion news article that parodies Foursquare.