• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer, February 15, 2011

"Where the Ladies At" is a clever app for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, aggregating location-based data from female Foursquare users to tell users (who I will stereotype as amorous, single males on the prowl) the thing they most want to know, namely, where the ladies at. This information is presented in an easily-understood graphic format, with a compass needle pointing users to where the ladies at. Currently limited to San Francisco, the app ranks venues by the number of ladies at them, limiting the count to ladies who checked in during the last half hour.

On the plus side, "Where the Ladies At" doesn't provide any specific identifying information about the ladies; on the minus side, it is a tad sleazy. No question, social media is all about utility, and "Where the Ladies At" provides actionable information to its users: where the ladies at. But social media success is also a balancing act, as individuals may reduce their engagement or even quit if they feel exploited or endangered. In short, what if the ladies don't want some third-party app developer telling everyone where they at?

Sure, I imagine there are plenty of ladies who have no problem with "Where the Ladies At" -- but it could deter others from checking in on Foursquare in the first place. It's worth noting that personal safety is often cited as one of the main concerns inhibiting ladies from using location-based social media services like Foursquare; an app broadcasting their whereabouts to horny guys on the make probably won't do much to allay these concerns.

It might be better if there were a way for female Foursquare users to opt out of being aggregated into the target pool, but I see no evidence of such an option: if you are a lady who checks into Foursquare, you're going to be counted (the app also uses contextual clues to deduce gender identity, even when it isn't explicitly stated).