LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images
Facebook has started offering free Internet in a few places. The catch? It makes it easier for advertisers to find you.
by Queena Kim
Coupa Cafe in downtown Palo Alto is a popular hangout with
Stanford students and techies. So it’s no surprise that they offer free Wi-Fi.
Stanford students and techies. So it’s no surprise that they offer free Wi-Fi.
But when I get to my table, turn on my phone and open my browser,
it takes me to Facebook. It instructs me to log in to get free Wi-Fi.
(You can bypass the sign-in but that wasn’t totally apparent to me.)
it takes me to Facebook. It instructs me to log in to get free Wi-Fi.
(You can bypass the sign-in but that wasn’t totally apparent to me.)
Facebook says its experimenting with a few local businesses to “offer a
quick and easy way to access free Wi-Fi after checking in on Facebook.”
quick and easy way to access free Wi-Fi after checking in on Facebook.”
“It’s a good way for Facebook to know where you’re at, they can deliver
all sorts of new offers,” Agrawal says.
all sorts of new offers,” Agrawal says.
Companies are banking on location based advertising to bring in big money
for mobile, but there are a lot of hurdles to clear before companies like
Facebook can target your location precisely.
for mobile, but there are a lot of hurdles to clear before companies like
Facebook can target your location precisely.
Matthew Groves created the app “Dude, Where’s My Car.” It relies on
GPS and that can be problematic.
GPS and that can be problematic.
“It all depends on where you’re at, are you in a parking lot, are you
around tall buildings or trees, basically do you have a clear view of the sky,”
Groves says.
around tall buildings or trees, basically do you have a clear view of the sky,”
Groves says.
Using location data from cell towers is another option, but Groves says
that’s less accurate because there aren’t enough of them. To get around
that problem, he says companies like Google are testing their own
Wi-Fi hotspots, which offer free Internet.
that’s less accurate because there aren’t enough of them. To get around
that problem, he says companies like Google are testing their own
Wi-Fi hotspots, which offer free Internet.
As for Facebook, it gave the Coupa a wireless router, which can be
tied to a location. Argawal says, you can imagine tech companies
like Facebook sending out routers to millions of businesses.
“So all of the sudden you have precise locations on every business
you’ve shipped that too,” Agrawal says.
tied to a location. Argawal says, you can imagine tech companies
like Facebook sending out routers to millions of businesses.
“So all of the sudden you have precise locations on every business
you’ve shipped that too,” Agrawal says.
And so one day soon, someone like me could get an offer for a
free smoothie to go with my ham sandwich.
free smoothie to go with my ham sandwich.
No comments:
Post a Comment