I'm a social media geek so I guess the first reason is: "I have to."

I wasn't intrigued by Foursquare until I checked in at the Ben and Jerry's in Harvard Square and got a great deal. Now I check in pretty often - who doesn't love a discount? I also like seeing real-time tips from other people, engaging with people on Twitter about  things I'm doing in real life and spending time with my real life friends who are nearby thanks to this technological serendipity.

The first time I heard about geolocation tools  I asked a lot of the typical questions I hear now: "What if you get a stalker?" and "Do people know where I am right now? Creepy." Despite my hesitation and theirs,  I see a lot of potential for geolocation tools to expand beyond retail to other industries or even employee engagement.

Of course, like using Facebook or other social media sites, there's a downside too. I've read enough Foursquare horror stories to "practice safe Foursquare" now. What do I do?

• I don't use the same avatar that I use on other social sites like Twitter or Facebook. I feel that people who don't know me shouldn't be able to spot me in a restaurant.
• I check in to locations with no deals after I leave (I typically will look for deals in my area before I go).
• I don't check in to hotels I stay at.

How do you practice safe Foursquare? Why do you use Foursquare at all?