Less than a year after its creation, Facebook Places is being removed from the social network. Facebook announced that its location-based mobile service will be phased out for a more general-location tagging system.
Facebook Places was intended to go toe-to-toe with Foursquare, the leading location check-in social network, but its demise indicates it just couldn't keep up with Foursquare's popularity. Instead of a dedicated check-in service, Facebook has expanded the ways that users can add location information to regular Facebook content, including posts and pictures.
"Now you can add location to anything. Lots of people use Facebook to talk about where they are, have been or want to go. Now you can add location from anywhere, regardless of what device you are using, or whether it is a status update, photo or wall post. Of course, you can always choose not to add location at all," reads the official Facebook announcement about the changes.
Facebook will begin phasing out settings associated with Places immediately.
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