If you’re a Foursquare user, you know users have complete control over what they share to other users and publicly. One thing its users won’t have control over is the way the service displays your name through its service as Foursquare is announcing some policy changes today that will go into affect in 2013.
One of the first major changes to the service will be how your name is displayed throughout Foursquare. Starting in 2013, your complete name will be made available for all to see, this includes both users of Foursquare as well as online. If you’re one of those people who absolutely need their privacy when Foursquaring their life up, you can always change the name you give the service as the only way it knows who you are, is if you give them your full name.
Another major change in Foursquare will be in the way businesses can access check-in information. Before the change, businesses were only able to see up to three hours of check-ins. In 2013, businesses will be able to see “a lot more” check-ins, which we can only assume will be days worth of check-ins instead of three hours worth.
Hopefully with Foursquare laying out its upcoming policy changes for all to see, it won’t suffer the same fate as Instagram, even though the changes Foursquare is making to its service seem to be nowhere near the monetizing changes Instagram was attempting.
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