Foursquare has just made a counterattack against Facebook in the battle for location recommendation supremacy – by further incorporating Facebook into its service.
Starting today, you will now see new Facebook-oriented information on Foursquare locations, and Foursquare is going to use the power of your Facebook friends in their recommendations as well. As long as you’ve connected your Facebook account with Foursquare, you will now see indicators like “X Facebook friends left tips here” and “X Facebook friends liked this place.”
You’ll also see specific tips from specific users, like “Your friend Sam X left a tip here.”
The important thing about this new Facebook data is that you will see these tips from Facebook friends, even if you’re not Foursquare friends with them.
“By expanding your recommendations to include your Facebook friends who are on Foursquare, you’ll get even better personalized insights when you’re deciding where to go, while still only sharing check-ins with your close friends – the ones you’re friends with on Foursquare,” they say.
Foursquare reminds users that no privacy settings have changed. They’re simply using the information they already have, but finally displaying it prominently within their app and on desktop.
“Your check-in privacy remains the same. As always, we’ll never post to Facebook without your permission, and your Facebook friends will never see your check-ins unless you friend them on Foursquare.”
The timing of this is particularly interesting, considering Facebook just unveiled a huge revamp of its “Nearby” feature. Now, Facebook users can get personalized location suggestions based on their friends’ activity. Of course, this move was seen as a direct play at the local recommendation market of which Foursquare enjoys a substantial piece. This move by Foursquare, as well as the recent updates to their iOS app, amounts to a counterattack – or at least a deflection.