Twitter.com Adds location to tweets – implications for realtime

Twitter today released new location features to the http://twitter.com website, enabling users  to share their current location when posting new tweets. I have not confirmed whether this feature has been enabled for all users, but I have gathered some screenshots to share:

This new feature set will finally enable other location-based services to rely on Twitter as an authoritative location source. Most Twitter clients already natively support location-enabled tweets, with Twitter.com the last one to the party. I can almost hear the collective “Huzzah!” of API users around the world, and the collective “Now what?!?” of third-party Twitter client app developers. Don’t worry guys, Twitter.com has it’s place, and so do client apps.

The addition of location also opens up a new set of problems as far as privacy, safety, and legality are concerned. Twitter has provided some About information on their Support Forums that offers to answer some of the more asked questions such as:

• Safe Tweeting with your Location
• Tweet with your location FAQ
• What location information is displayed? (exact location or place)
• Why do I see a pin-pointed exact location for some Tweets but only general vicinity (neighborhood or city) for others? (Twitter can display place, coords or both)
• What location does Twitter store? (as long as the Tweet exists, or until location history is cleared)
• Which browsers support Tweeting with location (Firefox 3.5 and Chrome, older FF and IE require Gears)

The new feature also highlights limitations in older browser technology such as IE7, which does not support location sharing by default. In fact, most Firefox users may not even be aware that the latest versions of FF (3.5 and up?) support location services. By using built-in browser features, Twitter has effectively voted for which browsers are preferred Twitter platforms. Expect to see some fallout from IE proponents over this.

Until the tweets start coming in, we can’t know for sure how the developer community, users themselves or the tech journalists will respond to this development. It’s going to be an exciting night on Twitter for sure, as the prospects of a definitive location provider emerge as new product ideas, mashups and new features for existing third-party services. Keep your eyes open people, it’s all happening (I promise that will be the last time I use that tired phrase, unless there’s some Twitter campaign to bring it back!).

If you like the story, show the RT love, or send it to your favorite tech blog as a tip or submission. Right now I’m just writing for myself and the RealTime community (no, that’s not a journal, just social media) but am looking for ways to increase my engagement in the larger community via other channels. If you have questions or want to know more about me, follow me on twitter (http://twitter.com/joelgibby) and send a mention my way. I’m pretty good about getting back in a hurry. (BTW: this article was posted 43 minutes after I realized the feature was enabled. Screenshots etc. were all taken within that time period. I also took 2 phone calls during writing, so you’ll have to forgive the lag!)

JoelGibby