Facebook is involved in yet another alleged violation of users' privacy. ValueWalk's Aman Jain (http://www.valuewalk.com/2012/09/facebook-inc-fb-denies-that-private-messages-were-displayed-publicly/) describes how ever since Facebook force-fed the Timeline Page down everybody's throats, old wall posts that were believed to be private are now displayed publicly.
Is anybody really surprised at this? Facebook has demonstrated repeatedly how respecting users' privacy has been, at the very least, a challenge for them. Yet, while the company's stock (NASDAQ: FB) has taken a beating since its IPO earlier this year, people and businesses seem to be using the social network more than ever.
So, what's the end result? Pretty much the same as in the NFL with the replacement referees: people can complain all they want, but as long as they keep using the product... well, you know the rest.
Here's a novel idea: anyone who is truly concerned about maintaining the privacy of their communication with friends should try meeting with them face to face every once in a while. They'll find it's a much more enjoyable experience than Facebook!
I'd love to meet with my friends face-to-face more often, but I work from home to support my family (I've got seven kids so it's not easy to get time out of the house).
ReplyDeleteHere's my blog entry about how I myself experienced private messages showing up as public, and the solution for it:
http://holy-sheepdip.blogspot.ca/2012/09/facebook-private-messages-showing-up-on.html