A few weeks ago at my "office" -- we'll just call it Philz Coffee on 25th and Douglas in Noe Valley in San Francisco -- when logging onto the wireless network, a different window popped up:
As one who dabbles in a bit of social media strategery, I thought to myself, "Very cool," in exchange for using their wireless, all I have to do is to let folks know where I am using said wireless. Smart marketing, no problem.
So -- I must have checked the "Check me in automatically in the future" option because every time I logged onto the network after that, the notification, "Bruce is at Philz Coffee" was added to my personal Facebook timeline, making my coffee affair that much more public. Even funnier is that if I got wireless access with my phone, it would post my check-in twice. And while I love telling people about Philz, it got a little much. After I heard another customer ask about how to disable the check-in feature and after failing at figuring it out myself, I tweeted @philzcoffee. After a few questions from their social media folks, I was sent instructions on how to stop the automatic check-in: mad social media skills, responsive customer service and smooth pour-over coffee. Love this place.
Here is are the instructions I was sent to disable the automatic Facebook check-in option.
- Go to Facebook.com on desktop
- Click on Privacy icon in the upper-right corner (the lock with three lines next to it) and select "See More Settings"
- Click on "Facebook Wi-Fi" in the left-hand menu bar
- From there, you can disable the auto-checkin by clicking the "x"
Easy peasy -- and thanks to the Philz crew for helping out.
I suspect that more and more folks will be using this feature to help increase their Facebook presence and, do not get me wrong, I do not think there is anything wrong with the idea. Afterall, I am using their wireless access. But if you find this screen popping up just be aware of your options:
- Check-in: Click this at least once every so often to give some props to whatever business is providing your wireless. Service, besides a buying a cup of coffee, it's the least we can do.
- Automatic Check-in: Beware of this checkbox, especially if you happen to frequent an establishment 3-5 times a week, otherwise your addictions shall become public. If you do not mind adding an occasionally check-in to your timeline, go for it.
- Skip Check-in: This is the safest option. Also the easiest option to go unnoticed.
So there you have it. Not the most important thing in the world, but hope this was helpful. Carry on.
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