My Thoughts on Facebook and Online Privacy
I have been thinking a lot lately about Facebook and about what I share online. I used to think that what I shared on Facebook was at least somewhat private with only those I am friends with on Facebook. This is not true anymore. Reality is that Facebook is not private.
Facebook recently started a project called “Facebook Open Graph” which allows users to connect socially with participating websites. Basically you will be seeing more “Like” buttons around the web. When you come to a site it will personalize your experience on that site based on your information in your Facebook account.
PC World explains Open Graph this way,
For example, a visitor to a participating news site or a music-sharing site could be served up content upon arrival based on previously stated preferences on Facebook or participating sites. The visitor could also see a list of Facebook friends who are already registered on the other site, and even what comments they have posted there.
Sure this can be great, especially if I really love that music artist’s site I am visiting. This also scares me a little bit. Do I really want all these companies to have access to my personal information?
Facebook is growing and they are pushing an “everyone” button that makes your updates public. (Source: this blog post)
Most websites are defaulted to publicly share what you upload. Flickr, Twitter, and many other sites have already been doing it for a long time. It isn’t a bad thing, but we do need to be aware of this. With sites like Gowalla and Four Square becoming more popular it is becoming ingrained in our culture.
All of this brings up two important realizations for me:
1. Facebook is becoming public and it can do whatever it wants with my information. It is their site – they can share it! It isn’t their fault either, because I put my information there in the first place. Although, I do wish that they would have told me all that upfront. Mashable did a great article on this called, “In defense of Facebook.”
My defense: Start putting less information on Facebook. I am putting my information on their servers when I update my Facebook status and upload my photos. Instead, Daniel and I will be updating our blog here more often. We own this domain and rent the server it is hosted on. We technically own whatever information we put on it. Yes, it is still public, but it will be harder for companies and websites to have access to our information.
2. Nothing I say online is private. My twitter stream is searchable. Any of my FB friends can copy & paste my statuses and my photos. Almost anyone can tag you in a photo.
My defense: If there is something I truly want to stay private – then I just don’t say it online! I have recently started a letter writing project with a friend and I am loving this old school way of keeping things a little more private and personal. This doesn’t mean I won’t ever say anything personal online. I will still share my struggles and thoughts. I loved my post about Jealousy and I will continue to write posts like those. I just have to know that what I say will be out there forever. My hope is that I will never publish anything that I will be ashamed of in the future. Because really, if I am going to be embarrassed over something I said, then I shouldn’t say it in the first place!
I do love connecting with friends on Facebook. I have had many friends quitting Facebook, because it is a distraction for them. If I really wanted to quit a distraction then I should give up playing my Scrabble games with friends on my iPhone. I don’t think reading statuses is a distraction for myself. Although sometimes I read things that rile me up and I have to choose to ignore them. But really, I do want to see your vacation pics and know where you are eating. I will still be reading statuses and commenting, but you won’t see my statuses in your news feeds. Instead, they will be over here at my site and I am okay if that means fewer people reading them.
Resources:
“In Defense of Facebook” on Mashable.com
“Privacy is dead, and social media hold smoking gun”on CNN.com
“Facebook Wants the Webs Default to Be Social” on PCWorld.com
I’ve been thinking about this so much lately! Especially because the nature of my husband’s job makes us want to stay as “unfindable” as possible, it is frustrating how much information is readily accessible… and we add to the public “database” about us without thinking about it terribly seriously.
I’m with you on trying to be very aware of how much personal info I share – I’m updating facebook far less often, and when I do I usually don’t provide too much info.
Good points Kristi. Certain professions do lend themselves to wanting to be as anonymous as possible online.
Kristi, I am glad I am not the only one thinking about this a lot lately! I agree with you – we certainly add to the public “database” without even realizing it. I am not sure that a lot of people get that. For me, my husband’s business is online and what I say does have a reflection on him and his business.
I think you’re taking the right approach to this issue. The world is definitely changing and anyone that thinks they can be online and still have complete privacy is being unrealistic. Better to be careful about what you share and still try to enjoy the benefits that social media offer. I still think there’s more good than bad out there.
I like your blog post Amanda. Privacy is the main reason I’m hardly on FB anymore and don’t post pictures. I tend to update a status when I have a question I need addressed.