Twitter Knows Where You Are!!!

It's true - Twitter knows right, exactly where you are. You Tweet, they jot down your location.

"Of course they know where I am."

You are using a computer or smartphone to update your Twitter account. It isn't terribly difficult to decipher some one's whereabouts when they connect to a website. A qualified application developer will either pull the information from your computer's IP address or from GPS/Geolocation data in your cell phone.

Who cares, right?

Well, according to a few techie-press sources we trust, they are starting to collect and save the data. The Twitter folks say they will only save the data for 14 days.

Regardless, saving data means it can be displayed. Or sold to the highest bidder. How much would you pay to know that a repeat customer just walked into your coffee shop?

Or better yet, how would you like to know that Bob Smith, a repeat customer, just walked into your coffee shop and he's aggravated with the long line at the counter?

The ultimate demographic data?

Think of the power of knowing some one's preferences AND their close proximity to your business. Specifically, your business in Minneapolis, Minnesota on the corner of 4th Ave. and 12th St.

"Hey Bob! Welcome! Say, sorry about the long line. How would you like a free coffee? Great!"

You just gained a very happy customer. Albeit Bob is probably freaking out about the Big Brother implications but it's a free coffee just the same.

He'll probably talk about both the free coffee and the Big Brother issues to his friends. They'll undoubtedly mention your store. And if Bob is like my friends, they will all go into that coffee shop, Twitter-phone in hand, Tweeting away about how great you are.

They're sold.

But it's scary just the same.