[mbq]

FB knows the list of visitors from their query logs and in principle may later sell it to the business either directly or as a more targeted ad.

Still this beacon network may be also alternatively mapped (or ripped from FB servers) by the community, released as an offline db and then used as a fully private navigation aid or something like this.

[Fogest]

There already are Facebook pages with locations on them so I don't see the need for beacons to already be able to do this. And Facebook also already likely uses users locations to pinpoint where they are. As it stands right now you already can get notifications if you have location services on that you're near a business and will ask if you want to "check in".

So I don't see how this changes anything. They already have this data, the beacon doesn't change that.

[mbq]

The fact that they want beacons suggests that the location information is not as accuracte or reliable as they would like to; quantitative changes also matter.

[Fogest]

Well this method can be faster and can encourage more businesses to take up a web presence as a device like this is free. Not only this but the physical device like this and notifications on the users phone can push more users to interact with the businesses. This seems to be being pushed forward in order to encourage a greater presence of businesses with more interaction through Facebook. The more interaction that Facebook can bring between the customer and the business the better for Facebook, but also the better for the business.