DENVER - A new mobile social network called "Friends Around Me" has created an application for the iPhone and iPad that sets itself apart from any other. It combines the functions of Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare and instant messaging into a single mobile application. While some are welcoming the change, others are shinning a light on the security risks of these types of mobile applications.
"It's the best way to discover and interact with people around you," says Luciano Ibias of Friends Around Me.
It's a new mobile social network mashup make up of profiles, pictures and locations.
"Once in the profile you see all of the information about that person," adds Ibias.
You don't even have to sign up. You can log on to the app using your current Twitter or Facebook Account.
"The application will show you all of the other users around you on a map and you can begin to interact with them," Ibias says.
When you click on the "Near By" button, you can see a list of people closest to your location. Just click on their profile and you can chat live with multiple users at once. Friends Around Me users can also look at your profile and your location.
"Once you authorize the iPhone to track your location everywhere you go it will automatically show your location," says Detective Mike Harris with the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office. He says the GPS tracking in the app is a huge security risk.
"You really don't know who you are dealing with and then when you have the added experience of having someone be able to follow you and absolutely know where you are at," Harris says. "It would be a nightmare for someone if they were constantly someone that was obsessed with them that could find them plus they have their pictures there and everything."
Some of the sites' top rated users have posted racy, half-nude photos of themselves.
Many of them, Harris says, appear to be underage.
In a demonstration of the app, I searched for users in a 10 mile radius of the news station on 6th and Speer in Denver. There were 11 profiles logged on. Once I clicked on a profile, the application gives me the exact address of where each of them are in Denver.
"As accurate as your iPhone because we are basically using the information the iPhone is giving us," says Luciano Ibias.
Friends Around Me is one of thousands of mobile social network sites that are gaining in popularity for smart phone users.
"It's a stalkers tool kit, it's a sexual predator's tool, kit it's a kidnappers took kit. I mean it's all right there," says Detective Harris.
Friends Around Me is currently the 3rd most downloaded social applications in the iTunes store and it's gaining in popularity. A growing number of social applications have the same GPS location software, many users don't even realize it's activated. Experts suggest that users decline the use of the tracking software on the application to protect their safety.
"It's the best way to discover and interact with people around you," says Luciano Ibias of Friends Around Me.
It's a new mobile social network mashup make up of profiles, pictures and locations.
"Once in the profile you see all of the information about that person," adds Ibias.
You don't even have to sign up. You can log on to the app using your current Twitter or Facebook Account.
"The application will show you all of the other users around you on a map and you can begin to interact with them," Ibias says.
When you click on the "Near By" button, you can see a list of people closest to your location. Just click on their profile and you can chat live with multiple users at once. Friends Around Me users can also look at your profile and your location.
"Once you authorize the iPhone to track your location everywhere you go it will automatically show your location," says Detective Mike Harris with the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office. He says the GPS tracking in the app is a huge security risk.
"You really don't know who you are dealing with and then when you have the added experience of having someone be able to follow you and absolutely know where you are at," Harris says. "It would be a nightmare for someone if they were constantly someone that was obsessed with them that could find them plus they have their pictures there and everything."
Some of the sites' top rated users have posted racy, half-nude photos of themselves.
Many of them, Harris says, appear to be underage.
In a demonstration of the app, I searched for users in a 10 mile radius of the news station on 6th and Speer in Denver. There were 11 profiles logged on. Once I clicked on a profile, the application gives me the exact address of where each of them are in Denver.
"As accurate as your iPhone because we are basically using the information the iPhone is giving us," says Luciano Ibias.
Friends Around Me is one of thousands of mobile social network sites that are gaining in popularity for smart phone users.
"It's a stalkers tool kit, it's a sexual predator's tool, kit it's a kidnappers took kit. I mean it's all right there," says Detective Harris.
Friends Around Me is currently the 3rd most downloaded social applications in the iTunes store and it's gaining in popularity. A growing number of social applications have the same GPS location software, many users don't even realize it's activated. Experts suggest that users decline the use of the tracking software on the application to protect their safety.
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
StumbleUpon
