Social network applications on mobile are set to get … well, creepier.

Loopt will be one of the first social networking applications to offer background location. The new features are now possible because of the latest iPhone OS4 allowing multi-tasking. So now you can leave some applications to run in the background and monitor your location.

Depending on the application users can set criteria which enable push notifications when they are near something that meets that criteria. Take Loopt for example, when you are with in a certain radius of a friend you get buzzed.

To do this Loopt users are able to continuously share where they are (no need to check in). Hence the creepiness. But don’t worry, you can choose which connections have access to this data and for how long.

While Loopt seems to be getting a lot more traction in the US it doesn’t take much grey matter to predict that this Loopt will be the next wave of mobile social networking in Aus too. Unless, foursquare can release background location features quickly.

Loopt Web | iTunes (free) | SocialBeat Review