Between e-mail, text messaging, instant messaging, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and a plain old phone call, the way in which we communicate with one another is vastly different and more intricate than it was 10 to 15 years ago.

Speaking specifically of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, these methods of communication have changed the landscape of society itself.

Take Egypt for example: the world looks on as the citizens of Tunisia overthrow their oppressive government. News of the revolt spreads quickly through cable news, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and Egyptians, who live under an oppressive regime of their own, decide to break out of the spell of fear and organize a revolt of their own, through Facebook and Twitter.

Although the Egyptian government shut down Internet and text messaging services in an effort to prevent protesters from organizing, word still spread, and Egypt’s own “March of Millions” in Tahrir Square, which defied a curfew ordinance in place for Tuesday, was the final straw that pushed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to announce his intention not to seek another term in September.

Although Wednesday saw the peaceful protest turn to violent chaos when pro-Mubarak protesters stormed the Square, the Egyptian events have still served as an example of what can be accomplished when social media is used effectively.

But a new site, FourSquare, is taking the social media phenomenon too far. FourSquare connects its users’ phones to its website through a phone application that allows them to “check in” at various locations via GPS, which means a user’s FourSquare friends would instantly be aware of where he or she is after checking in. Users can earn points and badges for checking in at various locations. Users can also leave tips for certain places and become the “mayor” of a location by checking in more than anyone else. FourSquare accounts can also link to existing Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Here’s how it’s supposed to work: John Smith goes to the Kirkhof Center every day around the same time and makes sure to check in whenever he does. One day, he notices that Jane Doe is in the area, and they meet up to have dinner at River Landing. John Smith sees a tip that someone left saying that people can’t get fruit cups as a side item (although they should) and decides to get a vegetable cup instead. They enjoy a wonderful college meal.

Here’s how it actually works: John Smith goes to the Kirkhof Center every day around the same time and makes sure to check in whenever he does. One day, Robin Banks, who John Smith doesn’t know but friended a week ago for no reason and without giving it a second thought, notices a pattern and says to himself, “Hey, John is in Kirkhof right now. I should go ransack his apartment and see what I can find!” After a wonderful college meal with Jane Doe, John Smith returns to his Kistler Living Center unit to find clothes all over the floor, posters ripped from the walls and his laptop, television and stereo system missing.

And here’s how it’ll turn tragic: Jane Doe, who lives downtown, checks in while waiting at the bus stop after a wonderful college meal with John Smith. Meanwhile, Dusty McRapeFace sees that she is on her way home and decides to wait for her at her stop. She gets off the bus and … well, you know the rest of the story.

Social media sites definitely have their place in today’s society, but bear in mind that whenever you put personal information, pictures, hobbies, favorite places and GPS locations out there, there is always someone watching.