Protect your own privacy

There is an exodus afoot in the world of social media. Users are claiming their rights have been violated, their privacy trampled on and their way of life compromised. This might sound more like the antics of the Tea Party than of teenagers, but it is a curious age we live in, so nothing can be taken for granted.

The times, they are a-changing, and Facebook plans on pioneering the next step of social media. The goal is as American as apple pie — not communication or usability, but profits. I mean, who wouldn’t pay to mine all that data you provide to Facebook?

Of course, turning social networking into a money-making machine comes at a price. Facebook isn’t about to charge you to use its services, but it has begun exploiting information about users that has been uploaded — even if the original intention was for that information to be private.

Facebook recently launched a new feature that “instantly personalizes” your experience on the Internet. To do this, it leverages the information you provide to Facebook against third-party websites like Yelp and Pandora. The most controversial aspect of this is that it requires users to “opt out” of making their information public.

Needless to say, the feature caused outrage among the most die-hard privacy pundits. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., even wrote to the Federal Trade Commission asking them to create privacy guidelines for social networking sites.

Many things in this country need enforced regulation. Facebook, however, is not one of them.

These changes, and the controversy they have created, are part of a much bigger issue. At the heart of it all is this question: Who owns the information you put on the Internet? Does it belong to you, or does it belong to the website to which you upload it?

It’s still Mark Zuckerberg’s website, and therefore, he can decide what he does with the information I provide to him. As long as I’m not forced to tell him one thing or another, I don’t really have a problem with it. Besides, is anyone threatening to shoot you unless you describe in detail your drunken escapades? Don’t blame your desire to be an exhibitionist on common business practices.

But apparently, for some people it really is too much to ask that I be responsible for my privacy and you be responsible for yours.

After changing my privacy settings (as you should consider looking into), I’m in favor of Facebook’s changes. It’s new, and it’s different, but I’m still in charge of my content — and I can leave the world of Facebook whenever I see fit.

At the end of the day, the Web is based on the ability to trade information with others, but the question of what is worth sharing to the world is always in your hands.


E-mail: danfleis@indiana.edu