For those of us that are technically minded we are probably all over the social networks. The networks I am talking about are sites like MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn. These sites are around to make money. LinkedIn charges a yearly fee but the other two do not. So what are they to do?
Well a report in United Kingdom based Telegraph mentions that Facebook is looking to try and monetize the data it has on its users. In response, Facebook commented to Techcrunch that the report was “based on misinterpreted statements from Randi Zuckerberg.”. However, Facebook did say they are looking for ways to “leverage” the data.
Why am I mentioning it? As users we all need to be aware of where our personal data is and how it is being used. I do not have a problem with companies like Facebook using the data they have, but I hope they make that usage very clear to their users. More importantly, I hope that Facebook also installs some protections to prevent applications built on Facebook from hijacking more data than is needed.
Another concern: just because I choose to share my information, how do I know how my ‘friends’ want their data shared? The ‘friend’ network is both the strength and danger of social media sites. Facebook does a great job making their privacy settings easily accessible. If you use Facebook, you should take a look at the settings under your profile to make sure you are using the site within your comfort zone.
I am sure this story will continue and more details will be discovered, but for now make sure you control and share only the information you are comfortable with when asked by any site.
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:36 am
I keep hearing about this stuff. Really interesting. I have looked online and found some other blogs that offer some information, but not as much as on this site. Your blog is definitely going in my subscription program!