In today’s Quick Hits, we ponder the ramifications of a Facebook firing, consider Foursquare’s growth in 2010, and talk about The Social Network‘s numerous Academy Award nominations.

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Foursquare Tops 6 Million Users, Grew by 3400% in 2010

The location check-in service Foursquare exploded in popularity last year. According to company figures, Foursquare grew 3400% in 2010 and now boasts six million users. As location-based social networking continues to expand, there are many privacy and security issues that need to be addressed. For one, there is the issue of location spoofing (or pretending to be someone else on Foursquare and checking into an odd location). There is also the issue of home security, as checking in somewhere online reveals that you’re not safely at home.

Reputation.com COO Owen Tripp will talk location privacy with other Internet privacy experts tonight at a special Churchill Club event in San Francisco. Check here for more details.

New York City Names Chief Digital Officer

Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced that 27-year-old social media expert Rachel Sterne would be the first ever Chief Digital Officer for New York City. In her role, Sterne will streamline social media communications for the city and help make existing web properties more social. The hiring of a Chief Digital Officer heralds a new understanding among businesses and government agencies that social media technology is here to stay and engaging online is an absolute must in the digital age.

Various Real Kate Middletons Banned on Facebook for Sharing Name with Soon-to-be Princess

Kate Middleton isn’t the world’s most common name, but it’s certainly not uncommon — something that several  Facebook users were forced to tell the website after they found their accounts frozen over suspicions that they were impersonating soon-to-be UK princess, Kate Middleton. As social media impersonation continues to be a growing problem (California recently passed a law making online impersonation a felony) companies like Facebook are working on ways to protect their users. Sometimes it works, but other times, it doesn’t.

Hearing Begins for Woman Fired Over Facebook Post

Per Mashable, “a hearing for a woman who was fired over remarks made on her Facebook account is scheduled to be heard by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Tuesday.” The woman, a former medical technician who criticized her manager online, will argue that her comments were protected under labor laws. The outcome of the case will have a significant impact on corporate social media policies.

The Social Network Nominated for Eight Oscars

The Academy Award nominees were announced this morning and David Fincher’s critically-acclaimed drama about Facebook’s origins, The Social Network, received eight nominations. The success of The Social Network serves as an exclamation point to a decade in which social media technology took over the Internet, making our online lives an intangible part of our “real” lives.