The Evolution Of Privacy On Facebook

I'm sure you've all heard the hullabaloo from the digerati* (the people that jump onto the technology as soon as it comes out and leave it it in disdain when "real people" appear ... believe me, it happens) about the changes to Facebook's default privacy settings allowing more and more of the stored data to be accessed by anyone, anything or any app.

So what, some online site changes it's default settings, who cares eh!

Two reasons why "So what":

1. They have 400 million users
2. They don't care about any of them

So now we have (conveniently for Facebook):

• The "flashing 12" problem
• The "surely they won't do anything bad" issue
• The "Meh, I don't care" attitude

"Mike, this is all just computers, just too bloody technical for me - leave me be as I have some friends to talk with and a photo to post!!" I tried to tell everyone but it just wasn't getting through. And then I found this ... The Evolution of Privacy on Facebook

Go to the site and click on the graphic to see just how Facebook privacy has been slowly eroded from you.
We start with:


... and currently have:




YES! It's nearly ALL public now.
Not just public to everyone on the Internet, I mean "people" but to any applications people care to write. And they can write applications that bring Facebook information (perhaps when you're away for the weekend) together with your phone number (posted on an online email group from your email signature) which means they get your address and ... http://pleaserobme.com/

And that's just the simple stuff *I* can think of.

More from me:

• 5 articles about keeping your identity ("persona") safe
• 5 easy ways to protect your online presence with Dr Miramar Mike
• Blog [Facebook] for your future boss / client / relationship

* I am probably one - you tell me