GridTag Leads You To The Right Place And Right Crowd
Social networking sites and apps have been great tools to find people. Now, an app called GridTag can even let you find celebrities and their private parties near you. This free app is now available from app stores for the iPhone, iPod and iPad.
Originally, the app was not intended for finding celebrities only. An American spokesman for GridTag said: “Think of GridTag as an invaluable electronic guide for those who love to socialize. Once you’re a member you are sure to be at the right place, at the right time and mixing with the right crowd. We intended the app to locate the coolest men and women around users—rather than stars in particular—but users have reported that it also works as a ‘celebrity radar,’ so it’s an attractive if unexpected added bonus.”
How does this app work? It collects information from popular social networking sites and member profiles to build a picture of a person’s public location. For example, if one posts his or her location on Twitter or checks-in to Foursquare, he or she can be seen on GridTag. This location-based software also reveals a real-time “hotspot” map of the most popular pubs, bars, clubs, hotels and restaurants in any given area and at any given time.
Privacy has been a big concern for social networking sites and apps. Hence, GridTag will only provides a “publicly-available snapshot,” sharing nothing more than their profile photo and name to ensure people’s safety and privacy. The app also won’t allow members to interact with new contacts unless they give their “express” approval—something the makers admit is “highly unlikely” to happen when approaching stars.
According to the spokesman, GridTag also uses API technology to connect with Twitter and Foursquare users. “By having access to both GPS and social network location data, it can spot anyone who’s out for the night—whether they are a friend, someone with similar interests and connections, or a star.” Moreover, you can also tag interesting people to see if they want to meet you.
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Xiaomeng Li earned her Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, with Honors in Mass Communication and Fine Arts at Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA. She is now a Master of Arts candidate for New Arts Journalism program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). Born in Wuhan, China, Li came to the United States in 2007. Her passion lies in popular culture, cross-cultural communication, and the relationship between the Chinese government, mass media and the civil society. Li is also an aspiring photographer who likes portraiture and the traditional darkroom experience.