In the real world, four square is a playground game for the kids who didn't get chosen to play kickball. Foursquare in the digital world is a ""location-based, social networking site, travel guide and game,"" according to the recent announcement from UW-Madison declaring its debut on the popular site. Unlike the second-rate playground game, the digital version has taken some steps toward popularity. In its first year, Foursquare has lost its underdog status as a social networking site, currently experiencing a growth rate more than double that of Twitter.
Accessible through smart phones, Foursquare allows participants to ""check in"" at different locations and eventually win badges and a ""Mayor"" title for frequently visited places, while also contributing words of advice about various venues. Essentially, Foursquare is a virtual game played 24/7 through your real life actions.
UW-Madison joined other universities across the country that have already embraced Foursquare, but hopping on the new social media bandwagon is more of a pointless attempt to keep up with new technological advancements rather than a beneficial endeavor. Yet, in the two days I've been checking out UW-Madison's Foursquare page, they have gained 46 new friends, making their total friend count 980. Such slow growth does not elicit a reaction like ""Omg … we're like, so popular,"" but instead makes me question Foursquare's presence at the university entirely.
First of all, Foursquare represents the epidemic of our generation's increasing obsession with anything virtual, and it is my strong belief that our university should emphasize the real life experiences it has to offer, rather than a digital game that keeps students glued to their smart phones. John Lucas wrote for University News Oct. 20 that the site provides ""incentives for users to explore campus, discover new venues, and make recommendations to the entire Foursquare network."" The idea that Foursquare provides a campus insider guide and encourages participants to explore for themselves is idealistic at best, and the application actually robs students' own independent discovery. If students rely on this device to navigate campus, especially if it is for the sole reason of earning points in a virtual world, they will miss out on making their own experiences and uncovering new possibilities.
For example, some of my favorite things on campus were stumbled upon by accident or revealed to me through word of mouth from fellow Badgers. Freshman year, because I was not transfixed by my smart phone, I was looking around curiously on my walk home from class and saw some students lying on Bascom Hill. Instead of reading the recommendation from an application on my phone, I actually paused to think to myself, ""By golly, that looks lovely—I shall join them!""
And even though I partook in this communal activity many a time, I never once felt the desire to become the Mayor of Bascom. On my travels throughout campus I even made some rookie blunders, like taking the 81 instead of the 80 and riding alone on the bus for an extra hour with the bus driver checking me out in his rearview mirror.
But these explorations helped in creating my own personal guide to campus, and I think the value of these experiences would be tainted by technology that spoon-fed me the experiences of others and encouraged that I make them my own.
Not only is Foursquare too tech for campus, it's unsafe. The 2010 version of the game still resembles the goons on my old school playground—creepy, dangerous, and oblivious.
Unless you spend a lot of time understanding the privacy settings and the consequences of some of the basic strategies of the site, your frequently-visited locations, either at home or elsewhere, is information for anyone to see. Jennifer Leggio's article on ZDNet.com that exposes
Foursquare privacy loopholes describes numerous examples of how technology forces you to fight for privacy and how it's inconvenient to do so.
Foursquare does have privacy settings, so informed and diligent users do not need to be too wary, but many Foursquare members are regrettably ignorant about their privacy and security. In a worst-case scenario a stalker, robber, rapist or some other bad guy could trace your common daily routes, know who you are with, where you are, the addresses of yours and your friends houses, and get instant updates on all of this information directly from you.
UW-Madison joined Foursquare to keep up with other universities and use it as a promotional device. But, the university's other social media accounts, campus guides, newsletters and websites already provide these same services. There was no void to fill. The addition of Foursquare only encourages Badgers to live their college lives absorbed in their phones and see their experiences through a blurry haze between independent reality and game-like ""virtuality,"" while possibly compromising their safety on campus.
Melissa Grau is a sophomore majoring in journalism. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
