On Foursquare: to friend or to ignore?
Nothing makes me more paranoid about location-based social media services like Foursquare than a friend request from someone I've never met, someone I've never met nor interacted with on some level on other social media channels, a complete stranger, a complete stranger who lives across the country/world/universe... what reason could you possibly have to want to know where I check-in to?
I get these requests daily, which is possibly the creepiest thing about Foursquare. I sometimes enjoy the "mayor" gaming aspect of Foursquare and getting fun badges, but I don't especially care to have many friends in that space.
In reference to Foursquare I hear people say alot, "Why would anyone want to know where I am at all times?" For me to accept a friend request on Foursquare, you must meet 2 of the following 3 criteria:
- We are connected in real life. Ideally out of any of these, I would like to have met you. Preferrably after meeting you, I like you enough to add you as a friend on Facebook or follow you on Twitter.
- We are connected on Facebook. If we are Facebook friends we have crossed paths in school, work or other social circles of interest to me.
- We are connected on Twitter. If we are connected on Twitter it means I find you professionally or creatively interesting. If you follow me and I don't follow back, drop me a line about something you think I might be interested in. To make it easy for you, I specify my interests in my bio.
There are only a few people on my Foursquare friends list which I have never met in person nor do I regularly engage with, but I feel like I have a pretty strong sense of who they are based on what I know about them.
BOTTOM LINE
When I am accepting a Foursquare request I ponder: Is this person is credible, not going to rob me, and would say hello if I saw them out and about?
What do you think about accepting Foursquare requests? Do you have specific criteria when you accept friend or follow requests from people you don't really know?
