Geolocation revisited

[Ken]

When geolocation was first introduced we launched an app that was a
very simple mashup of Google maps and Twitter, enabling users to
attach a location of their choosing - not necessarily their actual
location - to a tweet. The much-discussed privacy concerns of
geolocation were not relevant to this application, which we made first
of all for our own use - to geotag new, location-specific content from
our website. Anyway, it seemed at the time that only users tweeting
from GPS-enabled phones had to worry about revealing their true
location.

The other day, when map pins and cute little maps began to appear with
our tweets, we thought that was very cool indeed and we began thinking
again about promoting this app. (Oddly, the geodata only shows when we
are logged in - maybe that will change..?)

In order for a user to geo-tweet using our app, they needed to have
"Enable geotagging" checked in their settings. This has since been
changed to "Add a location to your tweets". On a support page dated 12
November 2009 (which I suspect has been updated more recently),
Twitter states, "Twitter won't show any location information unless
you've opted-in to the feature, and have allowed your device or
browser to transmit your coordinates to us," but the part about the
device or browser does not seem to apply to to the use of third-party
apps like ours. On the same page Twitter says that "Tweet With Your
Location is only available in the United States" which again does not
appear to apply to users of third party browser apps. (We are not in
the US)

We just need to know what we should tell our users. They need change
their settings by checking the box by "Tweet Location", but _not_
allow their browser to transmit their location, right? Then they can
ignore the part about 'available in US only' and _not worry_ about
accidently revealing their exact location? Can we promise them that?

Thanks, Ken

[Raffi Krikorian]

The other day, when map pins and cute little maps began to appear with
our tweets, we thought that was very cool indeed and we began thinking
again about promoting this app. (Oddly, the geodata only shows when we
are logged in - maybe that will change..?)

that's a bug that is being addressed.

 

In order for a user to geo-tweet using our app, they needed to have
"Enable geotagging" checked in their settings. This has since been
changed to "Add a location to your tweets". On a support page dated 12
November 2009 (which I suspect has been updated more recently),
Twitter states, "Twitter won't show any location information unless
you've opted-in to the feature, and have allowed your device or
browser to transmit your coordinates to us," but the part about the
device or browser does not seem to apply to to the use of third-party
apps like ours. On the same page Twitter says that "Tweet With Your
Location is only available in the United States" which again does not
appear to apply to users of third party browser apps. (We are not in
the US)

a user needs to have "enable geotagging" on in order for them to send geotagged tweets from their account.  what i would possibly do is tell your users to turn on geotagging, but also just inform them what will happen on twitter.com.  the status quo hasn't really changed, except we have added some new features to twitter.com.  if your users aren't in the US, then, for now, they won't see any "add location" stuff to tweets.  they will eventually, and i think its more important to just explain to them that, by default, twitter.com won't expose precise coordinates -- but instead neighborhood information.

--
Raffi Krikorian
Twitter Platform Team
http://twitter.com/raffi

[Ken]

On Mar 22, 06:20 am, Raffi Krikorian <ra...@twitter.com> wrote:
>
>
> > So if a user enables geolocation on Twitter, but refuses geolocation
> > in Firefox, their location will not show when tweeting through the
> > web? Also, any such user of a moblie device would have to disable
> > transmission of geodata? If so, any links to the instructions for
> > doing that on various devices?
>
> We have a geolocation best practices document around that we hand off
> to developers - that details a recommended UX model that makes it
> clear how users should be presented with the choice to geolocate.

I guess you mean this page: http://apiwiki.twitter.com/Geotagging-API-Best-Practices

>
> So, in short, yes - your users would need to enable geo, but disable
> it in the browser.

cool, "Geo" is our app name

In our case, it is not the app that risks to disclose the user's
current location, unless that is the location they have deliberately
chosen to associate with their tweet. It is the act of enabling
geolocation in Twitter that could get them into trouble depending on
the device(s) or browser(s) they subsequently use to tweet. I guess
what I wish for is an API-specific geo-enable switch. Nothing to do
with tracking a user's current location, nothing that creeps anyone
out, nothing that requires elaborate warnings or disclaimers.

>
> that's the main reason we're doing it! It's all about context and
> relevancy!
>
>
> > I am just a bit surprised to find myself alone in promoting a use case
> > whereby arbitrary geo-metadata is manually assigned to a tweet in order
> > to enhance its searchability and interestingness.

Sure we agree on the benefits. Still, most of the discussion has
focused on automated geolocation. The best practices page is all about
that. But I want to tweet about the great shawarma I recently ate in
Amman and pinpoint it on a map, or say, we just issued a press release
on our project in Mongolia, or a social issue in a place I can't even
get a visa for, and I want to locate my tweet there! This is API-only
for now, not the browser- or device-based tweeting that I've seen
discussed.