A geo-social networking system utilizes location-based information to connect mobile users in real-time over a network to other users located at the same place. A mobile device determines the geographic location of the user and uses the location to generate a list of places within the vicinity of the specific geographical location of the user, allowing the user to check-in at a place, causing the mobile device to display a list of users who are also within/checked into the same specific place and display messages amongst the users. Once the location-aware mobile device detects the user has left the place, or the user checks out of that place, the communication ends between the user and other users checked-in at that place.