Facebook Privacy

Straubhaar, LaRose and  Davenport define privacy as "the right to avoid unwanted intrusions or disclosure." The greatest issue that I can think of that we have to deal with almost everyday is that of internet privacy. I'm sure we all post things on Facebook that we intend for our friends eyes only, but do you  remember when Facebook changed their privacy settings and many people just ignored the memos from Facebook? Everyone got one of those annoying pop ups that most of us just exit out of because it gets in the way of our "Facebook stalking." Unfortunately, by clicking the "X" in the right hand corner, many of Facebook's users became extremely unaware of how much information they were posting on the internet that would now be for the eyes of anyone who wanted to see it.

That was just this past December! If you haven't taken a look at the new privacy policy you can access it right here: Facebook's New Privacy Policy

I don't know about you, but reading Facebook's privacy policy isn't exactly high on my to do list. However, Facebook does provide a privacy guide that is a bit easier to follow. You can access it here: Facebook's Privacy Guide

Now, more than ever, we have to watch what we post about ourselves and what others post about us. Unfortunately, one of the most common ways people clean up their Facebook pages is when their mom friend requests them. As soon as that friend request pops up, many of us have to go back and scan through tagged photos of us and un-tag them, clean up our status updates, etc. SNL even poked fun at this in this sketch: 

 

Not only do we have to "worry" about our moms on Facebook, but we have to worry about future employers. Companies have taken to scanning Facebook pages for further information on prospective employees. And sadly, even after you hit the "delete" button to get rid of any unflattering information, they can STILL access it! Our parents never really had to deal with any of this technology. As long as your nose was kept clean you could become very successful, even if you did have one night at a wild party. Now, if you're photographed at a party where there are drugs or excessive alcohol, you may lose your shot at a job you really want - even if you were only there and not participating.

Basically, we should all be very careful of what we choose to post online.So don't do anything that could get you into trouble. You never know who is watching you and posting it online  without your permission, and it could end up affecting you in the long run.

Now, just for fun....

Poll: Have you ever cleaned up your Facebook page after adding a certain friend (like a parent, or boss)?

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

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