David Lee King

social media | emerging trends | libraries

Facebook’s New Privacy Settings

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facebook's new privacy settings

I was just switched over to Facebook’s new streamlined privacy settings. To me, anyway, these are much simpler to use! I really like the visual table showing most of your privacy settings up-front.

And those dots really do move – for example, I noticed that I had set “My status, photos, and posts” to Everybody, but I had “Can comment on posts” set to Friends Only. So I clicked “Customize Settings,” changed the setting, and the dot moved – voila! Easy stuff.

I still need to look through the Applications and Websites privacy settings, but at first glance, they seem simpler, too.

Later on this week I plan to make another screencast overview of the new settings, so stay tuned (that is, if the week doesn’t get away from me).

Just curious – how do you have your privacy settings set up? Does it look like mine? Let me know!

ps – feel free to friend me on Facebook and Twitter!

My Facebook Privacy Settings

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One more Facebook post for today. Every Tuesday, I post what I call Tech Tuesdays. It’s a video series I create for the library (Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library). In the videos, I usually talk about library/techie-related things, like ebooks, databases, or fun websites. You can browse around the library’s Youtube channel to see more – just look for “Tech Tuesdays.”

This week, since Facebook was pretty fresh in my mind (see my previous post), I created a video describing how I am currently managing my Facebook privacy settings, and explain what the different settings do.

Thought someone else might find it useful! On a related note, I just ran across this: Consumer Reports Survey: 52 Percent of Social Network Users Post Risky Information. Interesting take (though I don’t agree with everything they said).

10 Reasons to NOT Quit Facebook

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Last week, Dan at Rocket.ly posted Top Ten Reasons you Should Quit Facebook , in light of Facebook’s latest changes. His post makes some good points – definitely stuff to think about.

Yesterday, however, I started seeing people I know tweeting the link to Dan’s article, and saying “I might delete my account too.” Again – all fine and good, but that made me think: what about your organization’s Facebook Page? Will they delete that, too?

I’m not sure deleting your Profile or Page is the answer. So, I tweeted “come on people – why should you NOT quit facebook?” and received some excellent replies back. With that question in mind, and with some of the great answers tweeted back by some of YOU, I give you …

10 Reasons to NOT Quit Faceook (at least, not yet):

  1. Your customers are using Facebook. Librarians – walk around your library and see what people are doing. I’m guessing you’ll see lots of Facebook users. Maybe you should still be one, too.
  2. Your community is on Facebook. Quick, go to Facebook and do a search for your city. Narrow the search down to People. Most likely, down at the bottom of that search results page, it says “Over 500 results.” That means you just maxed out your search. Lots of people in your community use Facebook. In fact, Edison Research just released a report showing that 41% of Americans use Facebook. Translation – that’s 41% of your community. That you can reach. For free.
  3. Did I mention free marketing? Zbriceno says “… Keep FB ’cause all types of contact, events, photos, discussion posts, WORLDCAT book searching; one stop shop!” Your organization’s Facebook Page includes status updates, event calendars, comments, discussion boards, videos, pictures, instant messaging and private messaging. All ways to reach your community using Facebook (i.e., potentially 41% of your community) for free. Think about it.
  4. Teach proper privacy protocols. Instead of getting all “oh darn them, I’m gonna delete my account” – why not figure out the changes … then offer classes/blog posts/short screencast videos on how to manage Facebook privacy settings? For starters, make sure to check out Bobbi Newman’s post about that.
  5. Answer questions. From GinaMLS: “… to keep in touch w/users who are on FB and not looking at our websites.” Yes, your patrons can now visit your library online … without ever visiting your actual website. Kinda weird, huh? Are you there for them?
  6. Friend your customers. Friend those people you found in #2 above, and start interacting with them. Invite them to your fledgling “how to manage your Facebook privacy settings” class! Ask them if they care about privacy – it could start some good conversations.
  7. Say hi to your mom. Lots of people are on Facebook simply to connect with family. I talk to my sis, my mom and dad, my nieces and nephews, and even a cousin or two via Facebook.
  8. Don’t stop with your Mom – connect with friends and colleagues too. Cyndi23 said “… because classmates.com charges u when facebook does same and more for free.” So teach people how to connect with friends, family … and those old classmates. I’m enjoying the weird blended mix of personal contacts, professional contacts, friends, and family. All commenting on the same thing at times.
  9. Start conversations. Your organization has the potential for lots of Facebook contacts – use them for conversations. Send out updates talking about your organization’s stuff. Ask questions. Get responses.
  10. Use Facebook tools to tell Facebook what you think. Go ahead – set up a Facebook Page or Group dedicated to the evilness of the new Facebook privacy changes (or better yet, “Like” one of the many pages that have already been created). People have been vocal with Facebook before, and have succeeded. They actually DO listen to their community (though they seem to apologize rather than ask permission …).

So most definitely yes – keep tabs on what Facebook is doing. For that matter, keep tabs on what all the major social networks that you use are doing – it’s your stuff they’re messing with, after all. But is it a reason to quit Facebook, when almost half of your community is using that tool? I’m not so sure about that.

Pic by Max-B

ALA2008: Privacy: Is it time for a revolution?

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Comments for 10 minutes, then a series of questions – first from the moderator, then from the bloggers, then attendees.

@privacyala – taking twitter questions

Dan Roth, Wired senior writer

Little incentive for companies to care about privacy.

Yahoo toolbar – ask Google what they’re doing with the data they collect? No one knows what they’re doing with it

We should find out what those companies are doing with all that data was his general gist

Cory Doctorow

We can influence policy and licenses

architecture is politics – when we build social networks, we in effect build policies – and those affect people and future society

People who use social networks choose to divulge this info

There’s a difference between private, personal and secret – ex – we all do stuff that’s private but not a secret (go to the bathroom)

RFID – not a way to create policies and capacities for individuals to choose what gets shared via RFID and what’s not.

Beth Givens, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

aside – both Dan and Beth are commenting about privacy – while being photographed and videotaped (and most likely those are going on the web). Ironic?

Beth is talking about credit reports, medical records, etc – how those are online, how you can sue if this info is misused, etc.

Access, consent, accuracy, enforcement, usage limitation, etc…

“You should opt out” – how do you opt out? Her website has some ideas

Moderator questions:

Dan said “as we move away from a society with one mass culture…” – I don’t think we really ever had that! Colonial times – puritans, politics, farmers, city folk, etc… go through other times in US history and you’ll see the same. Just sayin…