Letter: A prisoner of Facebook
How valid is the claim of one billion ‘members’ on Facebook? No doubt the number stacks up as a total number of entries on their database, but among that number you will find your interlocutor, and, I suspect, many others like me.
I was curious and signed up. After a few days I decided that it was not for me and tried to sign off.
Have any of your readers been successful in signing off? If anyone can tell me how to do so I will be most grateful.
And, am I being phobic when I question the security and thus the potential dangers of Facebook membership? I’m no computer expert, but even the government and banks (two well respected and admired institutions) have had security problems.
I am cautious about Facebook, and I really can’t put my finger exactly on the reason. Does the decline in their share value suggest that I am not alone?
Peter J H Sharman
Arddleen
Powys
Comments for: "Letter: A prisoner of Facebook"
The Original Jake
Who cares? It's a big number.
The only thing you need to worry about with Facebook is if you think that what you had for tea last night might pose some kind of national security risk, or that a blurry photo of you and your mates half-cut in the pub could fall into enemy hands.
I can help with the problem you're having closing your account. It's explained here: http://bit.ly/VYlgpg
Todd Nash
*Like*
Jamie
It is in Facebook's interest to have as many (real!) people on their books as possible. It makes the numbers look good and appeals to advertisers. You can write to them and ask them to delete your account - see link :-
https://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=224562897555674
The major security risk with Facebook (as I see it) is making identity theft easier by making too much information public. I don't give my date of birth to any companies except banks/insurers etc. If your whole profile is public and you give away DOB, mother's maiden name, etc then you are asking for trouble.
As a householder it would be a bad idea to announce to the world that you and your family are out of the country for the next few weeks, while making it possible to find your address - for instance an unusual surname and approximate location.
Andrew finch
In general as with any information that is out there on the web, be aware of what you are giving out etc, re facebook issues i cant imagine what financial/private information that a member would feel the need to put out there in cyber world?.
Facebook is an amusing arena which allows some unfortunates to brag regards what they have, where they go, and what the do, if they get stung then surely that's down to them and their silly behaviour.
Roger
I have never joined facebook. I have experienced the amount of distress caused by people posting knee jerk nasty comments and posting them for all the world to see just how nasty they are.
I have seen situations runaway when cool reflection was appropriate. We have all heard about the corruption of our children being groomed by fictitious characters to exploit their innocence. We all know of trolls using the system to spread their vile intentions anonymously. We can all see the need for new laws to control the use of social media to protect the public from its abuse. Yes it was a good idea, but has run out of control and the damage is starting to exceed the benefits.
One Billion users means, one billion opportunities for abuse.
John Howard
The most danger you are likely to suffer from Facebook is terminal nausea from reading other people's banale and pointless news posts. Definitely meant for people with no PROPER life to speak off and for young people to hurl abuse at each other without actually having to meet.
The Original Jake
I disagree, it's only what you want it to be. I use it extensively to arrange actual meet-ups with real people, ranging from photography outings to kids' parties to social get-togethers in London. No proper life? My diary for the last umpteen years would appear to suggest otherwise.
Katherine de Gama
The trick with facebook and most of the web is never to write anything you wouldn't be happy for the whole world world to read. It's not necessarily and inevitably inane. You have to choose your 'friends' carefully. It's a terrific resource if they are scattered over the country and the world. Btw the same criticism was leveled at letters in the 19th century.
Merc
Agree with Kat. It's as inane as you make it, it's free and certainly no more life wasting than what's on offer from the Gogglebox. Of course it's a tool of surveillance by the government but I'm quite happy for MI5 to sift through the pixellated rubbish that I'm capable of expelling but hey! sadly that's where we are at. Frankly i'm struggling to see how this piece of electronic flim flam can rouse such opprobrium.
Katherine de Gama
Tehehe Merc. I'm sure M15 have I file on me. I did PhD research (unfinished) on the political police back in the 80s. I will only elaborate in the Nags or Logger. Btw I had a car reg M16 KAT. I'm not posh. It was just to conceal the fact that I had a new one:)
julian
Katherine, you give so much personal information in the comments section of this online newspaper that I doubt they care about you too much. Anyone so open about where they live, what they do, where they go, what they think, is unlikely to be a naughty person. Unless it is a character you have created to shield your real life as a secret agent.
Katherine de Gama
Julian, I'm from Cheltenham! I never write anything which is untrue and btw I did oncec have a visit from either Special Branch or M15 (I wasn't told which) when I was on the organising committe of a radical lawyers' conference. My husband, a psychologist/psychotherapist has always told me to have no secrets and I don't. I am a slightly naughty and subversive person but I have never been a dangerous one and never will be:)
Now in jest (but true).... I inherited a run down house in Cheltenham when the millennium doughnut was being built (the new GCHQ).. I couldn't find a builder for love or money. A few months down the line I got talking to people in St Ives who told me they had a friend who had a very senior post at that place. She told everyone she worked in construction. Heaven knows who I was phoning!!!
Of course I have stories from my days teaching in a very strange law school. Maybe we and Merc should go out for a beer.
AC
Friend request sent to Peter J H Sharmn, he sounds fun.
Kat de Gama
Have you come across the 'Facebook Song' by Kate Heidke Miller. It's so funny and beautifully sung. It comes up on google.
matt
as always people are too impatient to sign up... READ the T+Cs! They own ALL your pictures. Should you ever win the lottery, have something bad happen to you, your partner run away with a celebrity, you are powerless in trying to claim the rights back of your images.
The Original Jake
I think you need to read the terms. They don't own all your pictures; you do. By uploading content, you grant them the right to use it in accordance with the privacy settings that you assign to it.
Fiona
I am not on Facebook Katherine .Your advise is to choose your friends carefully, but what do you do when your friends are not so careful? When my daughter's friends leave themselves wide open to all forms of harm, abuse and attack, I imagine then her selection was wrong?
The Original Jake
You probably need to spend less time worrying about choices that other people make which are completely beyond your control.
Kat de Gama
Dear Fiona - how horrible. Bullies will use any platform. Btw I've had someone posting very offensive comments in my name and, worse, a violent stalker from many years ago tracked me down through facebook. It's easy if you have an unusual surname - and an internet listing on bt phone (which gives your address). Despite that I find facebook an innocent bit of fun when I'm at a loose end but I'm 50 and don't put up with any nonsense. Good luck to your daughter. I'm niot sure I would like to be young again