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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 6th Sep 2007 at 10:42 PM
Default Public Facebook?
I came across this article today on the BBC, and I found it rather disturbing.

Facebook opens profiles to public

I was a staunch opponent of Facebook, MySpace, etc. for the longest time because I felt they were just another means of having "the world" market to you and acquire personal information. Eventually, I joined Facebook out of the comfort of knowing it was only other college students connecting together. Then came the high school kids, and now comes the rest of the world.

I had not minded the fact that Facebook was available to the public because, like MySpace, it gave me a chance to find people that I had "lost" in my many moves about the US. I "found" one of my best friends from high school recently on MySpace and without a public community like MySpace, I probably would have never seen her again. I have also reconnected with friends as far back as second grade through Facebook. On face value (pardon the pun ) it is one of the most innovative inventions of the century.

That said, the idea of a searchable Facebook is absolutely abhorrent to me. Like the BBC article suggests, making Facebook searchable is akin to having an online white pages and it raises some severe privacy issues. Personally, I work in the credit card industry and I see so much identity theft that it leaves me dumbfounded and these new public profiles seem like a haven for criminals to initiate identity theft and simple stalking.

I will admit that I throw my own name around the internet quite a bit through my own websites and such, but these are factions over which I have complete control and authority. Nothing that I do not wish to show to the public is shown. Facebook is allowing changes to privacy settings, but I do not feel that this is enough. I see no value in allowing anyone with a computer type "dorienne smith" in a search engine and see everything about my school, my friends, their contact information and so on and so forth via Facebook.

These are not the principles for which I joined Facebook and as I see no probative value to allowing profiles to be indexed, I am thoroughly disappointed with Facebook and question its initiatives for these changes.

Anyone agree? Disagree? Think I am making a big deal out of nothing?
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 6th Sep 2007 at 10:54 PM
No, I don't think you're making a big deal about nothing. This is a BIG DEAL and I can't understand why some authority is not protecting citizens from these invasions of privacy since these individual entities have no hesitation to use EVERYTHING as a marketing tool and a money maker. At this rate everyone will be a victim of identify theft by some means or other.
Theorist
#3 Old 6th Sep 2007 at 11:29 PM
If its that big a deal, what is stopping you from deleting your Facebook account? You aren't required to have one, so if you are no longer comfortable with Facebook's policies, delete your page. Simple solution.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Obama on ABC's This Week, discussing Obamacare
What it's saying is, is that we're not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore
umm...Isn't having other people carry your medical burden exactly what national health care is?
Test Subject
Original Poster
#4 Old 6th Sep 2007 at 11:48 PM
I find it shameless that that seems like the only solution when they, Facebook, did not need to make the great change in the first place. I could, and very well may, delete my Facebook account because of their new policies, but I do not feel I should have to miss out on the opportunities they offer because they are shifting their efforts. I feel like the next thing I will be hearing from Facebook is something akin to "opting out" of third party sharing of my Facebook information. If I was a little more paranoid, I might call it a conspiracy, but even I am not willing to be so far-fetched.
Mad Poster
#5 Old 6th Sep 2007 at 11:52 PM
Completely agree with Davious on this one. For all I know, if something's put out on the net, then you should also be ready to accept the fact that it may come in the wrong hands. This is the main reason why I never give elaborate personal details about me over the net. Besides, how can you find someone on such a large site without a search function? I mean, if the reason you're there is to connect with old friends then how are you going to know they are there, unless you search for them? Good luck is not always reliable, so a search function seems only logical to me.
Lab Assistant
#6 Old 6th Sep 2007 at 11:53 PM
Personally, I don't have my actual self in my profile picture (rather, it's a cartoon) and so if people find me, I don't care. But when they can connect a face to a name, that's when I care. My profile is available only to my friends, but I still feel extremely uncomfortable knowing that a complete stranger could know my name and what I look like and possibly (in the worst case scenario) use it to gain access to me, my friends, family etc. in an inappropriate manner.

What I find the most terrifying about this is that children as young as 12, 13, 14 are able to have profiles. They may not realize what a danger it is to post their cell phone number, their hometown and even their address - which gives pedophiles specific information about these kids which could result in unwanted and/or inappropriate attention and possible stalking (again, worst case scenario).

Facebook needs to have warnings - don't post your cell number or address on there and don't have your profile so that everyone can see it. It should be common sense, but it's not.

What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about?

"Ma'am, your eyes look red. Have you been drinking?"
"Officer, your eyes look glazed. Have you been eating donuts?"
Test Subject
#7 Old 8th Sep 2007 at 12:55 AM
I think I remember it also saying that until they index them you have a chance to stop them by setting a certain option?
#8 Old 8th Sep 2007 at 1:16 PM
Quote: Originally posted by sabrown100
I think I remember it also saying that until they index them you have a chance to stop them by setting a certain option?


Yeah there is, there's a check box option that you can click if you don't want your profile found on search engines. It's in the privacy options.
Lab Assistant
#9 Old 8th Sep 2007 at 9:41 PM
i don't even have my last name appear on my facebook account, only the last initial. it seems logical to me, although i suppose it could make it easier for people to find me if they can't remember how to correctly spell my name.

pa fights the bear.
Test Subject
#10 Old 9th Sep 2007 at 6:10 AM
That's just messed up. *shakes head* At least there's an option to prevent your profile from coming up in a search. This is why I don't do myspace and facebook or whatever. I don't put my real name up on the internet. Ever.
#11 Old 9th Sep 2007 at 2:27 PM
I think it's messed up that people who are not college students or alumni can have a facebook. It used to be like a rite of passage to make a college facebook.
 
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