An innovative social networking site has changed the way the online populace views their city. Using GPS, found in most smart phones such as the iPhone and the Cliq, Foursquare verifies your location, specifically which local stores or restaurants you enter. Using this information, local establishments registered on Foursquare collect the data on their own pages, displaying who has entered the establishment, when, and how often. Members who have “checked-in” can then leave comments on the establishment’s page, supporting their trade.

To mix things up and make things more interesting for the online community, members can gain badges, and in some cases rewards, for entering certain stores numerous times. The leader in check-ins is labeled the honor of mayor of that particular store. In some cases, this honor comes with perks, provided the store is more involved. This new social networking circle has already hit the ground running.