MapHook
Social networking application
title: "MapHook" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mobile-social-software", "ios-software", "geosocial-networking", "wireless-locating"] description: "Social networking application" topic_path: "general/mobile-social-software" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MapHook" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Social networking application ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox dot-com company"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | MapHook Inc. |
| company_type | Private |
| location_city | Dulles, VA |
| location_country | USA |
| foundation | 2010 |
| key_people | Dr. Paul Carter |
| homepage | |
| :: |
| name = MapHook Inc. | logo = | company_type = Private | location_city = Dulles, VA | location_country = USA | foundation = 2010 | key_people = Dr. Paul Carter | homepage = MapHook is a location-based journal and social networking application that is operated by MapHook Inc., a software applications development firm based in Dulles, Virginia.
MapHook combines GPS and mapping technologies to allow users to create geo-tagged digital memories about events, locations, and activities. These geo-tagged "hooks" contain user reviews, anecdotal information, available business details, and user-created images pertaining to the selected location. Hooks are then published per user specifications to the public or select individuals. MapHook also seamlessly integrates points of interest within a user's selected vicinities with third-party content from Wikipedia, Groupon, Yelp, Foursquare, and Twitter.
History
MapHook was launched in July 2010.
In August 2010, Gulf Caravan, an advocacy group from St. Louis, MO, selected MapHook to help create awareness about the businesses impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
In April 2011, MapHook joined with Groupon and began displaying regional Groupon offerings by user location.
In August 2011, MapHook added the ability to attach YouTube videos to "hooks." MapHook also introduced the "Groups" concept, which allowed for the creation of user communities with user-set levels of privacy. MapHook also connected with Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ in order to merge with other social networking platforms.
In September 2011, MapHook partnered with ThinkGeek and their “Timmy the Monkey Sticker Map Project,” which documents the global reach of ThinkGeek customers by using MapHook.
In March 2012, MapHook partnered with the World Wildlife Fund and their "Tigers or Toilet Paper" project, which aims to draw closer attention to the deforestation and ruin of the Sumatran tiger’s habitat by having users create hooks to spread awareness about the paper products being sold in their area. MapHook and the World Wildlife Fund also teamed together again for Earth Hour, which took place in 2012 on March 31. As part of the Earth Hour MapHook Project, the World Wildlife Fund asked Earth Hour participants to post hooks on MapHook in order to chart participation and share experiences.
By 2014, users added “hooks” to MapHook from 50 countries around the world.
Recognition
Upon its release, MapHook was included in Gizmodo's "This Week's Best Apps" list, TIME's "App of the Week", and NY Times' "Quick Calls" list.
References
References
- "MapHook takes social media on the road | TechJournal South".
- (2010-07-22). "A Curated Location-Based Content and Social Networking App".
- link. (2013-10-29)
- "Gulf Caravan Selects MapHook".
- "MapHook, Dulles, VA, Finds Unique Way to Display Daily Deals by Groupon".
- (2011-08-10). "MapHook Announces New Features Including Groups, Videos and Links".
- "Monkeys on the Loose in MapHook;" Reuters U.S. Edition online; Sep 21, 2011; [https://archive.today/20120909183322/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/21/idUS116711+21-Sep-2011+BW20110921]
- "Timmy the Monkey Sticker Map Project" official ThinkGeek announcement; http://www.thinkgeek.com/stickermap/index.shtml
- (2012-03-28). "MapHook App Used to Raise Awareness of Sumatran Tiger Habitat".
- "Tigres ou Papel Higiénico? - A Iniciativa WWF e a Colaboração MapHook".
- Earth Hour 2012; CBS News Report; [https://archive.today/20130119031416/http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-202_162-10011815.html]
- (2012-04-04). "MapHook App Lights Up to Show Earth Hour Participants Turning Lights Off".
- Jennifer Ringger. (July 14, 2014). "Find out what's going on around you — and escape the tourist traps — with this app".
- "Software & Design Archives".
- Townsend, Allie. (2010-07-20). "App Of The Week: MapHook".
- Tedeschi, Bob. (2010-07-28). "Seeing the World Around You Through Your Phone". The New York Times.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::