Business - Written by Ming Kwan on Friday, September 7, 2007 11:27 - 6 Comments
Facebook creepers around the world rejoice!
Yesterday, I was doing my routine facebook check, when a new notification caught my eye. Facebook was offering me the option to be “searchable”. If I accept this function it would let non-members look for myself or anyone else on the facebook homepage and in a month they will also have the ability to pull up my (or any other person’s) facebook profile on the World Wide Web using a simple Google search. My initial reaction was ‘that’s creepy’ followed closely by a firm ‘no thank you’. This new search function is a far cry from facebook’s beginnings as a private social networking site in which only university students could be a part of.
I quickly dismissed the notification and went on my merry way, until today, when I saw an article on bbc news. Apparently I’m not the only one who noticed this new function. Understandably, the article raised concerns over privacy issues such as turning facebook into “a quasi-White Pages of the web” as Om Malik put it on his blog GigaOm.
Although the privacy concerns are understandable and have many implications, one would hope that the average facebook user would know better than to allow their profiles to be searchable on the web. I don’t know if it’s just me, but the idea of it… is just creepy.
6 Comments
Mike Dover
Aurelie Lacroix
It doesn’t seem to me that it is such an issue. Sure you are searcheable. But the only thing that someone who searches you will be able to see is your profile picture and name, with a link to contact you (for which the persone will HAVE TO sign up). They won’t have access to whole profiles. No big deal.
Doesn’t seem so creepy to me…
Ming Kwan
Re: previous comment. I see your point, and that thought has definitely crossed my mind before. I’ve been trying to pin down exactly what it is that doesn’t sit well with me. I’ve concluded that the main reason I find this whole idea a bit unsettling is that, sure – if someone is a member of facebook and wants to look me up, ok that’s fair since I joined the facebook network. But now individuals have the ability/option to not join, search the web first to see if a specific person is part of the network and then decide to join…. And considering the term ‘facebook creeper’ is already a common term around myself and my friends, this new tool sort of brings to life a ‘higher-level of creeper’ in my mind.
Eric
Facebook is just going to become more and more connected and open, eventually your whole personal life may be posted for all to see if you allow it.
I can see it turning into a very complete digital form of your social life.. fo everyone to see.
think of all the drama! *cringes*
Ming Kwan, please review the website I have attached and I think you’ll see some justification for your uneasiness with this new feature !!
http://www.justice4claire.com/
Thanks Sean
Hey that was nice I made a comment and got a google hit out of it – you people rock. The school’s lawyers have told mine for the second time now I have to tell everyone stop emailing them and their trustees or they are going to sue me…..Up the Republic, SAOIRSE, TIOCFAIDH A’R LA’
thanks,
Sean
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