As I write this, some facebook developers are already developing an app for facebook and McDonalds, that will let you and me check in to McD stores while updating facebook statuses ! Facebook is doing the location based thingy and I have a feeling this is one of those “next big additions” going to happen. Why ?
Because as we all know, location based services are the future and what can be better than facebook? What about Gowalla and foursquare ? Well, they have been good at what they are but I don’t think they can compete with facebook and might ultimately perish ! Or heck…facebook might even buy them out. No that might not happen in the current scenario. Source: TC

So, what does location based services coming to facebook mean ?

1 – Facebook status updates get geo-tagged

Facebook status updates will have an additional information with them, about where you are at the moment of update. I’m thinking this would be optional and only people who would wish to display it in public need to turn it on.

2 – Brands and Products come into picture

Considering that the platform is facebook, I cannot think of a good reason why interested brands should not come in. They could probably build apps around the geo-location feature and get a bite off the huge userbase on facebook.

3 – Privacy issues takes a whole new meaning

Until now, we’ve only been complaining about chat log privacy issues and cookie issues, but location based services will ensure that anyone interested to know where you are knows your exact location. Now is that good or bad ? Depends on who you are and who your friends are.

I think its unfair to comment on anything right now as we don’t even know what the service is going to look like. However, I strongly believe that the above points will prove a point when its live. So lets wait and see what’s going to happen next. Facebook – give it to us !

Meanwhile, play around with http://touch.facebook.com (That’s where the action is supposed to be.)