MY Facebook Privacy Concerns
Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 11:05AM
#TalkNerdytoMeLover's According to Adam
The Facebook Privacy debate has been covered in the new media and the mainstream media for a couple weeks now, but since Jen's all like "I totally want YOUR view on it", well, here it is.
I don't tend to think of myself as a very private person. I've had a personal website since 2002, when sometimes I've shared very intimate details about myself. I've posted pictures of my condo online, I've told embarassing stories from my past, and I've even put together lists of things I own -- all things that privacy experts say you shouldn't do.
Whatever. That's not my privacy concern. What IS my concern is who controls that data. When I post something on my website, I do. That USED to be the case with Facebook too, but more and more, that's changing. Facebook's philosophy, stated multiple times in the past, is that THEY own what you post on the site. What's scary about that is what they can do with what you post on the site.
By default now, something like 90% of your Facebook profile is exposed to the entire internet. That includes your wall posts, photos, likes, networks and even stuff that isn't yours, but that your "friends" have tagged you in. That wasn't always the case (if you want to see how that's changed over the years, check out this cool data visualization from Matt McKeon). You can change your privacy settings, but whenever Facebook makes a major change to the site, they go back to the default. It's up to you to remember to secure them again.
In addition to exposing your data, Facebook can also sell it. They've already announced major partnerships with Microsoft and Yelp, and tighter integration with third-party websites. It was tough enough when you had to worry about Facebook security holes exposing your data, but now security holes from another site entirely can expose something that may have been relatively private information when you started your Facebook account.
I've been going back and forth on deleting my Facebook account entirely for the past couple weeks. For now, I've simply removed any data I once thought was private but now may not be. I'm keeping my account though, because I think it's entirely within Facebook's ability to address these concerns, and not just with a mere "if you don't want something shared, then don't put it on the site."
Of course, I'm not the only one talking (or tweeting about this). Keep up with the Facebook Privacy debate in real time:
For more nerdy content, be sure to visit AdamReisinger.com, or follow Adam on Twitter (@AdamReisinger)
Reader Comments (2)
Well said! I don't want Facebook to give ownership of my photos to another company.
I am a Google Ninja. I can find out just about anything about anyone. (Stalking? No way! Research!) So I understand that anything I post exists forever and as much as I'd like to distance myself from my past, it is inevitable that someone will post a pic of me at the History Fair in 7th grade and I will be wearing a vest. Yes, a vest.
I was caught off guard with all my interests getting transferred into pages. So yeah, I like Beef Stroganoff, but we don't need to be friends. I mean, I like BStrog, but I don't "like it" like it. I'm not that kind of girl!
I removed all my data, minus some TV. I didn't like the switch and I don't like that my parents could potentially see what articles I'm reading. I play with the idea of deleting everything and going incognito, but I'm a like-aholic and FB is the one place where I actually talk to friends. I have a friend who is on FB under an assumed name, so maybe I'll go that route. I am, after all, a ninja ; )