Facebook set to outdo Twitter, Foursquare in Philippine 'check-ins'

With Facebook's recent acquisition of a broad patent on "systems and methods for automatically locating web-based social network members," the social media giant seems poised to make geolocation a big hit in the Philippines — if it plays its cards right. While no specific details have been disclosed, the patent abstract does cover what have come to be known (thanks to Facebook rival Foursquare.com) as "check-ins": status messages with geolocation data embedded into them. Geolocation's biggest appeal is in conjunction with mobile devices, enabling realtime updates of what's happening, where it's happening, as it's happening. As things are, Facebook is a Johnny-come-lately to the geolocation game, since both Foursquare and Twitter already introduced similar services earlier this year. However, the ace up Facebook's sleeve is that it has already established links with all of the major telecommunications firms in the Philippines: Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, and Sun Cellular. You can go to Facebook Text Messages, register a mobile number from any one of these providers, and instantly send as well as receive Facebook updates via SMS. In contrast, you can only check in to Foursquare on-the-go if you have a mobile browser. Twitter, for its part, can be updated via SMS (through third-party solutions such as Tweetitow) but geolocation is still limited to the US only. This leaves Facebook in the best position to tap into the Philippines' growing number of Internet users as well as its already well-established population of SMS users. Experience has shown that online social media, hand-in-hand with SMS crowdsourcing, are potent tools for social change. Facebook Places is already implementing a very Foursquare-like rich sharing experience, but is not yet integrated with Facebook Mobile. It remains to be seen if Facebook will play its cards right and grab the opportunity to merge the two, or if some other company will take the initiative and beat them to it. One thing is certain: no matter who pulls the feat off, mobile check-ins will definitely give a much-needed and most welcome boost to Internet penetration and social media use in the country.—JV, GMANews.TV