So foursquare can be used as a brand building tool, to let people know the venues you visit, the kinds of things you do, and in a way, the kind of person you are. If you check in to museums, coffee shops, and libraries, it says something, and if you check into other kinds of places, it sasy something different. However, going further, it’s a game.
It allows you to vie for control over spaces, even if it just means something to a few people. It can be a lot of fun. For instance, several months ago I created the venue “Moore Library” at Rider University which happens to be the building that houses my office. Dave Reynolds, who also works in this building, took the venue (became Mayor) after a long ongoing bout of checkins. In order to maintain your status you have to check in at least one day per month more than another foursquare user. He slowly crept up and rigorously overtook me after a few months of me sporadically forgetting to check in, and it was a friendly, but sobering, loss with much social fallout.
After a few more months of steady checkins, this morning I regained the Mayor title, when I saw the message depicted above on my phone.
And I plan to keep it.
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