Putting the new rules to work

Archive for the ‘Privacy’ Category

An Ipsos poll last released this week shows that people are spending less time on Facebook. And another poll, conducted just before the recent Facebook IPO, found   that 46% regard it as a “fad” that will fade in time.

Of the 1,032 Americans surveyed in a poll for Thomson Reuters May 31-June 4, 2012, 34% said they’re using Facebook less than they were six months ago. Only 20% said they were spending more time on Facebook.

Still, 41% said they use Facebook every day, and another 18% use it at least once a week. Only 20% said they’ve ever bought products or services because of advertising or comments they saw on Facebook.

Those who are using Facebook less seemed evenly split about the reasons, with 25% saying there wasn’t enough time, 24% concerned about privacy, and 27% saying it’s boring, not relevant or not useful. Only 2% said they were using Facebook less because they preferred a different social network.

The recent fiasco in which Facebook overpriced it’s initial public offering (IPO) didn’t help. By a 4-1 margin, people said what they knew of the IPO made them view Facebook less favorably.

You can see the full survey here.

While there is probably some “piling on” occurring in media, it is pretty clear that people are cooling off toward Facebook. Another poll, conducted by Associated Press and CNBC just before the IPO, found that more than half of Facebook users never click on ads or other sponsored content, and another 26 said they “hardly ever” do.

While 43% said Facebook “will be successful over the long term,” 46% said it “will fade away as new things come along.” Facebook also clearly has trust issues, with 59% saying they have “little or no” trust in Facebook’s ability to keep their personal information private. Only 13% said they “completely trust” Facebook on privacy.

The AP/CNBC poll also shows problems for Facebook’s plans for selling products and services. A solid majority — 54% — said they feel “not safe at all” purchasing goods and services through Facebook. Only 8% of adults and 12% of all users said they’d feel safe making purchases of goods and services like clothing or travel on the site. Complete AP/CNBC poll results.

You think nobody’d ever guess that your password is the name of your poodle or your childhood teddy bear? Or your favorite actor?

Listen to my story and see if it makes you think again. Read the rest of this entry »

Just because you live in Baltimore, that doesn’t mean you want to belong to a group whose only connection is that they all live in that city. Just because you hang your hat in the Lutheran church doesn’t mean you want to join a club of Lutherans. And for that matter, you may not want your Republican mother to know you “like” the ACLU.

And until last month, if you worked really hard at it, you could express those interests and commonalities without being automatically stuck in a group of people you don’t know. But Facebook has just made that impossible. Anything you list in your “Likes” and “Interests” now turns into a link to a page you may well have never visited – and turns you into a follower of that page listed on its site. The only way you can list an interest without linking to somebody’s page is to put it in your bio, where they still allow you to type without linking – for now, at least.

Here’s how Facebook describes the changes in the Facebook Blog:

Now, certain parts of your profile, including your current city, hometown, education and work, and likes and interests, will contain “connections.” Instead of just boring text, these connections are actually Pages, so your profile will become immediately more connected to the places, things and experiences that matter to you.

For another perspective, here’s how the very credible Electronic Frontier Foundation interpreted the changes

The issue with Facebook’s latest change is not that they force you to link your interests without permission, but rather that they remove an option to express yourself on the profile without links. As we noted, Facebook users now face a Hobson’s choice between the new Connections and no listed interests at all. As Facebook explains, “If you didn’t connect to any of the suggestions, the sections of your profile to which those suggestions corresponded will now be empty.”

Here are some links to excellent resources that can help you understand the issues and reclaim your privacy:

Consumer Reports: Seven Things to Stop Doing Now on Facebook

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Wired: Facebook’s Gone Rogue