In this lesson, we'll continue to probe further some of the privacy implications of sharing personal data online, looking , in particular, at recent developments on, and controversies about, Facebook. We'll also discuss the privacy settings Facebook provides. Finally, we'll consider how best to establish and nurture online digital identity. At the end of lesson 18, you were asked to find out more about the origins and controversies surrounding Facebook. Points that might come up in discussion include, of course, all the things we enjoy Facebook for (friendship, staying and getting in touch, networking; conversation, communication, instead-of-email, IM, sharing — photos, memories, links; organising events), but should also include consideration of: Terms of Service (ToS): have you read these (the current version, revised February 2009, runs to over 3500 words)? Excerpts:
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change or delete portions of these Terms at any time without further notice. Your continued use of the Facebook Service after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms. There's been controversy about this revised ToS. For example, see The Consumerist: Facebook's terms of service (ToS) used to say that when you closed an account on their network, any rights they claimed to the original content you uploaded would expire. Not anymore. Now, anything you upload to Facebook can be used by Facebook in any way they deem fit, forever, no matter what you do later. Want to close your account? Good for you, but Facebook still has the right to do whatever it wants with your old content. They can even sublicense it if they want. ... [Also,] there was an important couple of lines ... that have been removed: You may remove your User Content from the Site at any time. If you choose to remove your User Content, the license granted above will automatically expire, however you acknowledge that the Company may retain archived copies of your User Content. Furthermore, the "Termination" section near the end of the TOs states: The following sections will survive any termination of your use of the Facebook Service: Prohibited Conduct, User Content, Your Privacy Practices, Gift Credits, Ownership; Proprietary Rights, Licenses, Submissions, User Disputes; Complaints, Indemnity, General Disclaimers, Limitation on Liability, Termination and Changes to the Facebook Service, Arbitration, Governing Law; Venue and Jurisdiction and Other. Such was the outcry, Facebook quickly reverted to the old ToS: more details at the start of the next lesson. Friendships, privacy and permanence: what exactly is a 'friend' and how do friendships change over time?; unknown audiences; permanence of digital data; consequences over time. Have you read Facebook's Policy document?
When you visit Facebook you provide us with two types of information: personal information you knowingly choose to disclose that is collected by us and Web Site use information collected by us as you interact with our Web Site.
When you register with Facebook, you provide us with certain personal information, such as your name, your email address, your telephone number, your address, your gender, schools attended and any other personal or preference information that you provide to us.
When you enter Facebook, we collect your browser type and IP address. This information is gathered for all Facebook visitors. In addition, we store certain information from your browser using "cookies." A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user's computer tied to information about the user. We use session ID cookies to confirm that users are logged in. These cookies terminate once the user closes the browser. By default, we use a persistent cookie that stores your login ID (but not your password) to make it easier for you to login when you come back to Facebook. You can remove or block this cookie using the settings in your browser if you want to disable this convenience feature.
When you use Facebook, you may set up your personal profile, form relationships, send messages, perform searches and queries, form groups, set up events, add applications, and transmit information through various channels. We collect this information so that we can provide you the service and offer personalized features. In most cases, we retain it so that, for instance, you can return to view prior messages you have sent or easily see your friend list. When you update information, we usually keep a backup copy of the prior version for a reasonable period of time to enable reversion to the prior version of that information.
You post User Content (as defined in the Facebook Terms of Use) on the Site at your own risk. Although we allow you to set privacy options that limit access to your pages, please be aware that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable. We cannot control the actions of other Users with whom you may choose to share your pages and information. Therefore, we cannot and do not guarantee that User Content you post on the Site will not be viewed by unauthorized persons. We are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures contained on the Site. You understand and acknowledge that, even after removal, copies of User Content may remain viewable in cached and archived pages or if other Users have copied or stored your User Content.
Things we might need to consider when using a site like Facebook:
Is Facebook sometimes just about projecting the right image? Is social software sometimes (often?) just narcissistic? Prep: look at 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know and Facebook - Profile privacy settings - Sophos recommends. Have you checked your own privacy settings and do you understand the choices you're making? Read Facebook safety: are you following the advice Facebook gives? Now read danah boyd's article, controlling your public appearance. On your blog, write about what you think you've learned from these last two lessons about social software, in general, and Facebook in particular. |
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Lesson 19: Social sites II |
