We all saw the Facebook statuses about how much everyone hated the recent Facebook changes. We all saw the public reaction on Twitter and other networking sites--the hashtag "#newfacebook" trended on Twitter for days after the switch.
The public, overall, was in an uproar about how the new "creeper bar" that rests on top of your Facebook chat-available-friends list was an invasion of privacy and how you could see updates from people you didn't even know--like, friends of friends. This means that, yes, people we aren't friends with could end up seeing one of our updates. Susie Imnotfriendswith could see my photo comment on Bobby Imfriendswith's album instantly when it happened and without even looking at the album herself. Personally, I don't have anything to hide, and you can still approve who you're friends with--you also still have privacy settings. Realistically, if Susie Imnotfriendswith wanted, she could see my comment anyway. Honestly, I'm not worried. And Facebook executives aren't either. And they've released an explanation of the changes--it's not worth reading, however.
New changes have also given way for your Facebook pals to see what you read, listen to and watch, outside of Facebook, so be careful what you "link" to your profile or "like." The article linked here from the Washington Post explains these changes in greater detail. I recently unlinked my Twitter account from my Facebook.
Bottom line is...Facebook is changing. I think it's interesting that we still can't handle that fact. Does anyone ever remember the ORIGINAL Facebook? The never-ending scrolling? The hundreds of separate notifications....daily fortunes? Look how far we've---they've----come.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/facebook-changes-timeline-and-apps-spark-new-privacy-concerns/2011/09/26/gIQAl8JfzK_story.html
http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/29/technology/facebook_ticker_privacy/index.htm
I remember the day I got a Facebook (sophomore in high school) and how crazy I thought it was. I didn’t understand the “wall” but loved to send private “messages”. Now, I hate the idea of messages and what they’ve done to the chat/messaging system. Facebook is changing. I wish I could go back and see what Facebook used to be and remember exactly how it affected my High School days. I doubt Mark Zuckerberg ever thought his “Facemash” would become a world-wide phenomenon, but it did. We have to be ready for Facebook, the goods and the bads. If we are bound and determined to take Facebook with us into the next stage of technology, we have got to accept that not everything can stay as it once was.
ReplyDeleteThe new Facebook is interesting to say the least. I personally liked it the way it was even a year ago. However, if Facebook doesn’t adapt or change, will you eventually lose interest? I don’t know the answer to that, but have been thinking about it upon reading your post. They will continue to make changes and every time they do people get upset. Facebook cannot please everyone, but I do agree that they are getting creepier and creepier as the years go on.
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