{{Facebook appears to have quietly unveiled a new feature designed to let people see which Facebook users are nearby at any given time.}}<\/p>\n
The company calls the feature “Find Friends Nearby,” and on Monday it was available through Facebook’s mobile apps and website despite the fact that it hasn’t been formally announced. <\/p>\n
The blog ReadWriteWeb already has dubbed the feature a “stalking app” because it could open people up to potentially awkward or threatening interactions with strangers on the social network who know you’re nearby.<\/p>\n
To test out the feature, go to fb.com\/ffn in a browser, or follow this path in the Facebook’s mobile apps: menu > apps > find friends > other tools > Find Friends Nearby.<\/p>\n
In a comment about the new feature, Facebook developer Ryan Patterson, who says he developed Find Friends Nearby, described how he hopes the app will be used:<\/p>\n
“For me, the ideal use case for this product is the one where when you’re out with a group of people whom you’ve recently met and want to stay in contact with. <\/p>\n
Facebook search might be effective, or sharing your vanity addresses or business cards, but this tool provides a really easy way to exchange contact information with multiple people with minimal friction.”<\/p>\n
A Facebook spokeswoman declined to provide additional information. “We are constantly testing new features but have nothing more to share at this time,” she<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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