Comments on: The Privacy Virus http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/05/the_privacy_vir.html The Law, the Universe, and Everything Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:22:46 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Lauren Gelman http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/05/the_privacy_vir.html/comment-page-1#comment-49133 Lauren Gelman Thu, 29 May 2008 23:42:14 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2008/05/the-privacy-virus.html#comment-49133 I’m not sure its as much about information coercion as it is taking advantage of semantics. The question is: What is "a friend"? Is a work friend the same as a college friend the same as a colleague, the same as a cousin? You need to make this choice each time you get a friend request which is your point one. You also have to assume that you can't identify all your "friends" in advance, so you need to leave yourself open to "friend requests" with enough info to let people in a variety of networks find you (high school classmates), but maybe not let some people find you (bosses, parents). This information is binary-- either open to everyone or noone. But to take advantage of the "blurry edge" of your social network, it needs to be out there. The previous commentors post about Facebook’s tools to limit some viewership is true. But this is where the coercion occurs, because now you need to “rate” your friends; perhaps easy for boss or parents but impossible for others. So if a work colleague allows you to see her baby's pictures, it is hard not to reciprocate. We’re not very skilled at allotting our friends to categories, and the architecture creates incentives to follow the “friend” with the most liberal share policy or seem rude (back to your point one). I’m not sure its as much about information coercion as it is taking advantage of semantics. The question is: What is “a friend”? Is a work friend the same as a college friend the same as a colleague, the same as a cousin? You need to make this choice each time you get a friend request which is your point one. You also have to assume that you can’t identify all your “friends” in advance, so you need to leave yourself open to “friend requests” with enough info to let people in a variety of networks find you (high school classmates), but maybe not let some people find you (bosses, parents). This information is binary– either open to everyone or noone. But to take advantage of the “blurry edge” of your social network, it needs to be out there. The previous commentors post about Facebook’s tools to limit some viewership is true. But this is where the coercion occurs, because now you need to “rate” your friends; perhaps easy for boss or parents but impossible for others. So if a work colleague allows you to see her baby’s pictures, it is hard not to reciprocate. We’re not very skilled at allotting our friends to categories, and the architecture creates incentives to follow the “friend” with the most liberal share policy or seem rude (back to your point one).

]]> By: Earnest Iconoclast http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/05/the_privacy_vir.html/comment-page-1#comment-49132 Earnest Iconoclast Wed, 21 May 2008 21:55:46 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2008/05/the-privacy-virus.html#comment-49132 Facebook is a tool. It actually has very fine grained privacy settings. You can set privacy for each set of information to "Everyone", "Friends & Networks", "Friends & Friends of Friends", "Friends Only", or Custom. Custom allows you to create groups. This applies to your news feed as well as your profile information. Each "application" you add also has privacy settings. The defaults are fairly open, but just like anywhere else, you must manage your privacy. If you are not interested in sharing your information, then perhaps Facebook isn't the place for you. It's entirely voluntary and can be a good way to keep track of old friends who have scattered all over the country. It's not a "virus", it's a highly customizable social networking tool. Just like any other tool, you can hurt yourself with it. Also, just like anywhere else, if you follow the simple rule of not being an a$$, you protect yourself from a lot of harm. Facebook is a tool. It actually has very fine grained privacy settings. You can set privacy for each set of information to “Everyone”, “Friends & Networks”, “Friends & Friends of Friends”, “Friends Only”, or Custom. Custom allows you to create groups. This applies to your news feed as well as your profile information. Each “application” you add also has privacy settings.

The defaults are fairly open, but just like anywhere else, you must manage your privacy. If you are not interested in sharing your information, then perhaps Facebook isn’t the place for you. It’s entirely voluntary and can be a good way to keep track of old friends who have scattered all over the country.

It’s not a “virus”, it’s a highly customizable social networking tool. Just like any other tool, you can hurt yourself with it.

Also, just like anywhere else, if you follow the simple rule of not being an a$$, you protect yourself from a lot of harm.

]]> By: Rick http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/05/the_privacy_vir.html/comment-page-1#comment-49131 Rick Wed, 21 May 2008 05:08:31 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2008/05/the-privacy-virus.html#comment-49131 The worst part of Facebook is the "Newsfeed" feature. If you update your profile, send someone a video, add a friend or do a whole host of activities on Facebook, everyone on your friends list will be notified. They can even view the video you sent to someone else. Unless you are aware this is a function you could ruin your life. The worst part of Facebook is the “Newsfeed” feature. If you update your profile, send someone a video, add a friend or do a whole host of activities on Facebook, everyone on your friends list will be notified. They can even view the video you sent to someone else. Unless you are aware this is a function you could ruin your life.

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