Twitter adds ‘locational’ tweets

 

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By Hani Megerisi

Posted on 12 Mar 2010 at 16:46

Twitter has followed the trend of geolocation apps by incorporating the system into its web service.

Twitter website users will now have the option of adding their location to a map that is linked to their tweet. Account holders will have to opt-in to the service, indicating Twitter is sensitive to a potential privacy outcry.

“Not everyone wants to add their current location to a tweet so this feature is off by default and must be activated,” said Biz Stone, one of the co-founders of the company on the Twitter blog. “People who choose to add this additional layer of context help make Twitter a richer information network for all of us – location data can make tweets more useful.”

Location services are already available via Twitter clients such as UberTwitter and TweetDeck. Such features have been described as dangerous, allowing burglars to find out when you're away from home, for example.

Twitter isn't the only social-networking service to offer geolocation updates. Google Buzz sports a similar feature for smartphone users.