Facebook Questionable Privacy Choice

Many of Facebook’s subscribers signed up in the first place because Facebook offers great privacy, free from prying eyes other than friends. However, this week, Facebook basically put the reversal on those standards and requirements. Why? Probably for money and adsense. Gawker says in an editorial:

The most insidious part of Facebook’s scheme to expose user data has been how the company framed them, claiming to want to enhance privacy. In an open letter to his 350 million+ users, CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed he believed the old privacy framework was “no longer the best way for you to control your privacy,” and that the new system would give people “even more control of their information.” It would be “simpler” and finer-grained.

This move could easily prove to be problematic for Facebook, says a Denver News blog posting:

 

Now, I wouldn’t go so far as to call it evil, like this Gawker piece does — but it’s disingenuous at best. It could easily bite Facebook in the ass, too, should the Internet react with its usual distaste for being jerked around.

If you want some settings that will actually restrict your info to those who you want to see it, forget the recommended settings and try some of the tips recommended in posts like this one or this one.

Most of all, remember that nothing on the Internet is ever truly private, nor can it ever really be deleted. Just ask the Bush Administration about that one, or thoseclimate change scientists who decided to play fast and loose with their data.

CNET gives a good example of how to redo the privacy settings that Facebook implements.