Many University of Memphis students use the geolocation features on social media sites to inform their friends of their whereabouts. But in doing so, they may also be informing strangers of where they are — and where they are not.
Addie McGowan, associate director of social media for Big Fish, a local website development company, defined geolocation as "using GPS capabilities on a cell phone to tag yourself at certain locations in a community, telling others where you are and finding out who else is there."
Many sites make it convenient for users to post their locations online. Facebook features a Places tool and another site, Foursquare, is designed specifically for people who wish to post their location online and want to easily transfer that information to their Twitter statuses.
Meagan Elam, junior biology and Spanish double major, said she has posted her location on Facebook in the past "because everyone else was doing it."
"It's cool seeing (other people are somewhere) at the same time you were," she said.
McGowan also cited several benefits of geolocation.
"When used with common sense and at your comfort level, it's fine and wonderful to support local businesses and locations and meet up with friends," McGowan said.
However, there are potential dangers of posting one's whereabouts on social media sites, McGowan said. It doesn't take much online research to find numerous incidents where criminals have used geolocation to rob, kidnap and stalk.
"You've heard about people getting people's information and stalking and killing them," Elam said. "It would definitely be a good way for bad people to find out information on someone else."
McGowan said she frequently runs into the issue of people, particularly older generations, being afraid of geolocation.
"I think there is such a cultural shift happening between generations," she said. "Those of us under 30 have grown up using social media and being transparent so we are a lot more open but older generations who aren't used to having their locations out there are more sensitive."
Derek Myers, deputy director of police services at The U of M, said he couldn't recall any specific criminal incidents at The University due to someone posting their location online, but doing so could be dangerous.
"There's a possibility that (geolocation) can lead to issues, but we haven't had any problems that I'm aware of because of it," Myers said.
McGowan said if geolocation features are used in a smart manner, risks are minimal.
"Don't be alone when you do it," McGowan said, "and if you're going to tag friends, maybe ask before. Also make sure that your home address is not anywhere on the profile that you're associating the tag with."
Senior broadcasting journalism major Jessie Wilks said she began posting her whereabouts on Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare as a class assignment and has had a mostly positive experience, including receiving a 10 percent discount at YoLo Frozen Yogurt for informing the social media world she was dining there.
However, Wilks said she never posts her whereabouts if she is alone.
"Of course, you have to be conscious of your surroundings," she said. "I mean there are creepers out there, so, especially as a young college woman, it can be dangerous."
