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Facebook users wage war against new privacy policy. Valid concerns or mass paranoia?

I'm sure you've all seen this message come across your wall.

"ATTENTION !!!!!!! There is a NEW PRIVACY setting called "Instant Personalization" that shares data with non-Facebook websites and it is automatically set to "Allow." Go to Account > Privacy Settings > Applications and Websites > Instant Personalization > Edit Settings, and uncheck "Allow".BTW if your friends don't do this, they will be sharing information about you. PLEASE COPY & REPOST!!"

While I'm generally eager to join a blind resistance against "the man", for some reason this fight didn't seem right for me. Advocates for the movement against Facebooks new changes talk about how they're being violated, and question what right Facebook has to use their information. Further, these same people question what this information is really being used for. I'll do my best to give you my opinion on each of those thoughts, and why I think these changes might not be such a bad thing afterall.

1.) Their motives are simple, profit. These changes allow Facebooks affiliates to analyze your data in hopes to serve targeted ads that are more relevant to your interests and/or location.

Let's face it, ads on nearly every page of the world wide web aren't going away anytime soon. Most of us have developed "blinders" and look past them by now anyway, but wouldn't personalized ads catered to your specific interests and activity be a better experience? I see it as an enriched experience customized for me as a consumer and pedestrian in this virtual space.

2.) Are users being violated? These changes allow Facebook's affiliates to look deeply into your profile for data that they may find useful. By default this includes EVERYTHING unless users have specifically opted out through options found in the account settings. Profiles, posts, groups, and even messages sent between users are being seen by Facebook and their partners.

Scary, huh? This could be a much needed wake-up call to many users out there. I've always been of the belief that if you don't want the world seeing your information, DO NOT UPLOAD IT TO THE INTERNET! Especially on a social website that has their own direction and ideas of what "privacy" really is. Stick to trusted forms of communication for personal or private matters such as mail, email, or even that dusty old telephone. Not some social hangout website where users browse for updates on someones vacation, or if their favorite celebrity is about to take a jog. Really people, think about who you're giving this information to. A free service used for sharing information! ;-)

I suppose I don't see it as violation of my privacy because everything private to me I keep out of cyberspace. What I am seeing is an enriched personal web experience catered to my interests. For example, the "Facebook Connect" feature allows me to access many of my favorite websites (CNN, CNET, RespectedOpinions, etc.) without the need to login to each website individually and create a profile in order to participate in that particular community or discussion. I love that!

So now that you've seen my view on this topic I'd be curious to hear your opinions. Should I be afraid or feel violated regarding this new privacy policy?

Eagerly awaiting your RespectedOpinions. :)

All the best,
Ben

Tags: connect, facebook, information, personal, policy, privacy

Comment by Nicholas Nagao on May 29, 2010 at 3:03pm: Ben I couldn't agree more! I have yet to hear any arguments that compel me to be afraid of the "privacy" I'm losing through Facebook's new policies. I too use the shared login through CNN, Twitter, RespectedOpinions, and many other places because I find it makes it easier to keep track of things.

I am finding this to have more of a positive effect than I anticipated too. On sites like CNN, I can now also check out stories and comments that my Facebook friends have made on the site. This helps me keep in touch on other sites that are more political or less social and share with them, which is exactly what prompted me to start RespectedOpinions as a social network.

Great blog Ben, I'll be sharing it on all my social networks, and I hope others do too! You can use the "Share This Page" button to do so easily.

Thanks for your RespectedOpinion on Privacy!
Nick