President Obama Becomes Foursquare's Most Famous Social Networking User
The location-based social networking app Foursquare has added President Obama to its clientele. The White House has announced on its blog that the commander in chief will be using the global check-in game to emphasize the places he visits and what he does there.
The President’s first check-in coincided with his three-day bus tour of Midwestern states, and indicates he was at a park in Cannon Falls, Minnesota on Tuesday morning.
“President Obama discussed ways to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class with a crowd of 500 people at Hannah’s Bend Park on the first stop of his economic bus tour across the Midwest,” wrote a member of Obama’s team on the White House Foursquare account.
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The second and last check-in so far by the White House was in Decorah, Iowa Tuesday evening. At the Seed Savers Exchange, Obama spoke to 500 local residents at the town hall about how to “grow the economy and put people back to work.”
The Foursquare website homepage now advertises its highest-profile user, and that people may follow the White House upon signing up for the social network. The site reveals that over 19,000 users are already following the President.
Foursquare was launched in New York City in 2003 by Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai, and the web and mobile application allows registered users to accumulate points by checking in at venues. Users can earn badges by checking it at certain locations, for check-in frequency, and for other trends such as time of check-in.
Also, mayor statuses are awarded to users who check in to a venue on more days than any other user within a 60-day period.
The social networking game allows users to interact with their environment and connect with friends while updating their location. As of June, the company reported it had 10 million registered users.
Foursquare has actively encouraged younger people to stay informed and to vote in elections. With the 2012 presidential re-election campaign being prepared, Obama’s advisors seemingly realize the advantage of using the social network medium to attract younger voters.
