Several friends have told me before that once you upload pictures, facebook owns all the rights to those photos. What does facebook do with the pictures? Do I really want to give away my pictures for free to some large company? Or does it really matter?
I also wonder who can access my photos. I have a setting that only allows friends to view my pictures. However, I was speaking to a distant acquaintance who commented on how lovely my wedding pictures were. They were not on my friend list on facebook so how did they view my pictures? Also, when other people upload pictures of me, who can access to those photos? Should I really care who views my pictures?
In addition to these issues how much time do I waste on facebook... I too am guilty of browsing through endless pictures. Its interesting to see what people are up to, but is it really time well spent?
Also, facebook makes it super easy to connect with people. Is it too easy? I have a friend who decided that if someone actually cared about their birthday or getting together they would call or email them. They felt that facebook makes it so easy to communicate that it is less meaningful.
Despite all my questions, I am not quite ready to give up facebook. I really appreciate being connected to friends and family, sharing pictures at ease, and staying updated on who is doing what.
5 comments:
On photos: You may have it so that 'friends of friends' can view your photos. That person may have been connected to you in some way through a mutual friend, and thus would have been able to access your photo albums.
Apps like Farmville and so on also access your photos and your friends' photos and use them to advertise to your friends on facebook. I think they are working to improve some of the privacy concerns.
I am keeping my facebook active for now because there are people I would completely lose contact with were I to leave. Also, because I am going away to school, it's going to help me stay connected with friends and family back home during my absence. At some point in the future, I may give it up, but for now I quite enjoy my facebook connections!
Your cousin,
Angie
Hey Anne, I totally agree, it's rather scary when you think about it, what's going on with all of this information that we post. However, I too feel like I have too many connections on it to do that oh so brave thing Gill did and pressed delete..
But as a soon to be teacher I have really started thinking lately about future employers and students, and how careful we really have to be!
Jayla
Ann,
You have really got me thinking about Facebook and all its baggage. I too spend countless hours 'creeping' peoples pictures ( especially weddings and babies- they're my favourite) when realistically I should be spending actual quality time with the people in my life who really matter. I pose this question: If we calculated the amount of time we spend on Facebook in one month and instead spent that time actually visiting that or several people wouldn't it be a better use of our time? Just typing this makes me want to do it! But if you are wondering yes I am still an avid Facebooker... for how much longer only time will tell!
Holly
It's interesting to think about how much time Facebook sucks out of our life vs. how much value it adds. I've heard anecdotal accounts from principals who've said that since their staff "friended" each other on facebook the school culture has become much more friendly since there's that underlying knowledge of what, in general, other people are doing. However, I also know I catch myself looking through random photos of some long-lost friends not-so-exciting trip to Iowa. I'm sure there are more valuable things I could do than look at photos like that.
Have you seen danah boyd's post discussing how quitting facebook is pointless? It's an interesting read and an informed opinion on the topic.
Thanks Ben for recommending Danah Boyd's post "Quitting Facebook is pointless; challenging them to do better is not". She had a lot of interesting points that I hadn't considered.
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