Travelers arriving on flights to San Francisco are likely to encounter a problem faced by most major cities in the world: graffiti. “Tagging” has been an issue in major metropolitan areas for decades, but many cities are now taking proactive steps to curb the growing problem.

San Francisco, for instance, is hoping a new iPhone App called “Graff City” will deter young people from tagging in the real world and instead inspire them to take their artwork to the virtual realm. The app uses augmented reality technology which allows users to “paint” any surface in the city with their iPhones and capture their creations permanently.

Artists can share their creations on Facebook and even see the past work of graffiti artists at locations throughout the city. Of course, there are differing views on how effective the app will be.

Some claim the app will deter otherwise “good kids” from trying their hand at tagging in the real world. Others claim the app will simply become a virtual training ground for future generations of taggers.

What do you think? Do you buy the idea that “virtual tagging” will cut down on the real deal?