Facebook just launched its location-based social utility called Facebook Places (currently available in the U.S. only). Like other geo-location networks, users share their current locations with their peers. People wondered if location “check-ins” was just a trend but it seems to be building into mainstream for social networking.

With the largest social network making a location-based function available, Facebook Places will help Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp, and other geo-location networks continue to grow. By checking-in on other social sites, users have the option to share it on Facebook. Since Facebook Places does not offer badges or incentives, it may get users to start using Foursquare. Facebook Places says they are not here to put other sites out of business (and they probably could if they wanted to), but they’re working together to take this fad to the next level.

Facebook Places allow users to see if their friends are “checked-in” nearby. It also displays new places around the area that are relevant to you. Friends can tag each other and remove any unwanted tags made on their behalf. For those who do not want to take part with this new feature, users have the option to turn off being tagged in Facebook Places.