By David Farrier
A new social networking website is beginning to get a hold on the networking public.
Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber are into it, and it has the advantage of offering free ice cream.
Unless you've been living in a basement, you'll be aware of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Now a site called Foursquare is slowly making inroads in New Zealand, merging the virtual and real worlds together.
It is described by some as 'Twitter on acid', because as well as updating what you're doing, it also updates where you're doing it thanks to the GPS function on mobile phones.
There's always been some kind of divide between Facebook and real life or Twitter and real life - now you can check in to places and people can see where you are all the time," says addict Ryan MacDonald.
Participants can earn virtual rewards called 'badges', and become virtual mayors.
"At the moment I am mayor of six places," says Mr MacDonald.
In some cases, being a virtual mayor can have real life benefits - like free ice cream.
"The mayor of Giapo gets free ice cream, free gelato," says Gianpaolo Grazioli, Giapo owner.
Giapo is well known in Auckland for its enthusiastic use of social media. Mr Grazioli says Foursquare has great marketing potential.
"With Foursquare it's about the nearness, the proximity, and what is happening around me now is what Foursquare answers!"
And he's not the only one hyping the service.
Bieber may soon be logging on, his manager attending a social media conference in New York saying Foursquare could be the next big thing.
"Could a Bieber badge be on the way? It very well could," says Scooter Braun.
Lady Gaga's manager was at the same event - no surprise, as Gaga's top three videos have been viewed 1 billion times online, and she has a huge following on Twitter, just like Bieber.
Foursquare is still in its infancy in New Zealand, but who knows - it may expand as rapidly as Twitter and Facebook.
If it does, the words Four and square won't just be associated with groceries.
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