Matt Westervelt is an avid user of Foursquare, the social service that lets friends check in to specific places, gain special merit badges, and even become “Mayor” of a location if they’re its most frequent visitor among other Foursquare players. Westervelt often takes his son to Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill in Seattle, dutifully checking in to Foursquare. He’s the park’s mayor.
That’s why it was so disturbing to him to see his own picture plastered on trash cans and light poles in the park on small signs captioned “Meet The Mayor”. Strangely, it doesn’t appear to have been done by Foursquare. (I’ve contacted them for a response.) Update: Foursquare had nothing to do with it, they say! [via David Gallagher]
I really want to be a mayor now.
Huh. I go to Cal Anderson park 3-4 times a day, sometimes more on the weekend, since my dog really likes it there. Never seen the “mayor,” maybe I should join up and try to usurp the title.