Facebook and Privacy
Jan 27th, 2010 | 10 responses
I am not very computer savvy, nor “Twitter,” “Facebook,” or other social-networking-sites-savvy. However, at the insistence of my “kids,” I joined Facebook.
I use Facebook sparingly, mainly to look at photos of relatives and friends and, being concerned about privacy, I have kept my “Profile” very lean and my posting very limited.
On the other hand, I notice that many include a lot of personal details in their “Profiles” and post copiously on just about all of their daily activities and personal lives.
I was thus not surprised to read an article in today’s New York Times, urging Facebook users to exercise caution when posting and to check their “Settings” as many who opted for Facebook’s recommended settings when they were recently prompted by Facebook’s “transition tool,” may now be surprised that they “inadvertently gave Facebook the right to publicize your private information including status updates, photos, and shared links.”
But don’t panic, the author of “The 3 Facebook Settings Every User Should Check Now,” gives step-by-step instructions on how you can decide:
1. Who Can See The Things You Share (Status Updates, Photo, Videos, etc.)
2. Who Can See Your Personal Info
3. What Google Can See
The author, Sarah Perez, concludes:
Take 5 Minutes to Protect Your Privacy.
While you may think these sorts of items aren’t worth your time now, the next time you lose out on a job because the HR manager viewed your questionable Facebook photos or saw something inappropriate a friend posted on your wall, you may have second thoughts. But why wait until something bad happens before you address the issue?
Considering that Facebook itself is no longer looking out for you, it’s time to be proactive about things and look out for yourself instead. Taking a few minutes to run through all the available privacy settings and educating yourself on what they mean could mean the world of difference to you at some later point…That is, unless you agree with Facebook in thinking that the world is becoming more open and therefore you should too.
10 Responses to “Facebook and Privacy”
I find it better to have a facebook id, that has nothing to do with my real name) and a blank page. You need the id to navigate facebook, but there is no reason to put a real profile out there.
Big brother is watching..collecting data..following your Navi signal…tapping your phone…I'm not at all paranoid. I'm just an IP address.
Good information. Thanks.
Interesting that it was Google that exposed the Abu Garib fiasco by looking at emails.
Thanks for posting this, Dorian. There is one downside. Our almost 16 year old recently enabled the privacy settings. Now my wife can't check up anymore by following Facebook communications.
Good post, DE.
Ouch!!
Some will say, I assume, even teenagers have privacy
DdW, you surmised “Some will say, I assume, even teenagers have privacy.”
You're probably right, some would say that. The view in our house is that we are not the government, and the right to privacy is tempered by parental responsibility.
Tidbits, I hope you noticed my
I have had two teenagers, a long time ago, before Facebook, Twitter, iPhone, etc., etc., and quite well understand and appreciate the problems and issues facing parents today.
You have my every support—and commiseration
Dorian
Thanks Dorian. You confused me with the new DdW moniker. This is a second family for me, and the teenage years are pretty calm with this one…but we keep track, and talk and share and participate, anyway, just in case.
And, yes I did notice the
, but there are those who would say that seriously.
g. c.
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I worked for a junk mail firm years ago – unbelievable how much they knew about everyone back then.
I would never participate in facebook
It is highly likely that all that info is being harvested by people who really dont have your best interests at heart
and you can never get that info back