The ultimate stalker app Girls Around Me has been pulled from the App Store, but gave late night comedians food for at least a week of jokes and puns. Joy of Tech has also chipped in with its latest comic on the subject matter, which you can see below.
Girls Around Me used Foursquare to see where you are, and then scans the vicinity for women profiles checked-in at nearby places. You can get in touch with the girl then via Facebook, as the app asks for your Facebook info upon login, so it has all of your stats as well.
Not that people using Foursquare aren't aware that anyone nearby using it can try to get in touch with them, but the Facebook part was the most troubling, said law professionals. “This would be a very different application if it didn’t link back to Facebook, which is the treasure trove of information. With that link, this app could easily be a “let’s stalk women” app,” according to Elizabeth Stark, who teaches about privacy on the Internet at Stanford.
Apple subsequently banned Girls Around Me, as the app is created by SMS Services O.o.o., an obscure Russian company, which, however, has other legit applications in the App Store. The app allowed you to search for men, too, although we bet that's a far less popular feature, and also asked for an in-app purchase of more "energy", so it can continue the search, despite being free to download initially.
Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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