The app, Girls Around Me, is a very scary app that you should be aware of.

I see many of my friends check in constantly where they go. Innocently, it appears nothing can happen by doing so. Well guess again.

Take a look at this app. You can pretty much guess what happens when you look at the image. Does it worry you yet? 

Basically, let’s pretend I’m a woman who has just checked in to Starbucks On Facebook in your local neighborhood. With this app open, it gathers this ‘check in’ via your facebook information and showcases it for the world to see on a map.

What’s worse, is it has your name and facebook profile attached to it.

With most people’s privacy settings a little too open, people can then go click on it, see your pictures, your information, your family, where you work, went to school, and so forth.

“So now I know everything to know about Zoe. I know where she is. I know what she looks like, both clothed and mostly disrobed. I know her full name, her parents’ full names, her brother’s full name. I know what she likes to drink. I know where she went to school. I know what she likes and dislikes. All I need to do now is go down to the Independent, ask her if she remembers me from Stoneham High, ask her how her brother Mike is doing, buy her a frosty margarita, and start waxing eloquently about that beautiful summer I spent in Roma.”

This situation is really the tip of the iceberg, you can imagine that it could probably get worse. 

So the next time someone comes up to you with a, “Hey, ____ long time no see!” and you have no idea who they are, it may be someone you really don’t know. 

Furthermore, the other danger of checking in is that it tells people that you’re not home. Don’t think for a second robbers are also not spying on people with information that is easy to obtain. Especially now where people are friending each other without a second thought, do you really know who is behind your new friend? Faux accounts are pretty common.  

So on both accounts, it’s a very scary threat. 

Keep your facebook private. The next time you want to check in somewhere, remember that it’s not as innocent as it seems. 

Even if your account is well managed, this should be a tremendous wake up call about the privacy holes in Facebook.

I suggest you spread the word about this app. Even if this gets taken down, there will be many others that pop up with the amount of stalkers and creeps roaming around. Either way, it serves as a good message to take more responsibility over what you post.

[Via source]