Does your library encourage users to check in using location-based apps like Foursquare and Gowalla? I haven't thought through the legal implications yet, but I'd probably hold off before actively encouraging library users to check in. While you can't control what they choose to do on their own, it seems to me that library encouragement could lead to unintended consequences. Possibly some good, but possibly some bad, like a stalker who now knows that someone is at your library. Do you want to be the one who encouraged that person to check in?
The House just held hearings on privacy and other issues related to the commercial collection, use, and sharing of location-based information. There was testimony that (shocker) some location-based services do not have users' best interests at heart. What happens to the location info?
What do you think?
Comments