Hey all,
I noticed over in the World Pentax Day Giveaway Thread a lot of anger towards the idea of needing to be a Facebook member to enter the contest. There was a lot of resistance and downright belligerence at the idea of Facebook at all.
So I wonder... To those same anti-facebook people...
Have you ever bought anything with a credit card online or even in a brick-and-mortar store?
Shop at Amazon.com or any other online store?
Every buy off EBay or use Paypal?
Ever join a contest where you had to register with your real name?
Ever post a photo with your real name in the watermark? ...or Promote your own photography around the web? Have a FlickR account?
Have a gmail or other "free" email account?
Click on a banner ad anywhere?
Use Google regularly? Have a Google account (whether email or just settings). Ever use Google Maps?
I could go on and on, but these are all things that "invade your privacy" on one level or another, so I just wonder, have you really thought through this adversity to social networks?
And I wonder too...
Have you ever taken a candid photo of a stranger and posted it online? What about their privacy?
I do believe in this day-and-age we should be aware of our privacy. I have a teenage daughter and young-adult son, and have encouraged them to think about what they do online in many ways (on Facebook and around the web in general). However, I don't see Facebook as any more "evil" than anywhere else on the web that is constantly collecting information about us... and don't kid yourself, it happens every day all day. It's been happening to us long before the internet... that's what credit agencies are all about and where a good portion of your background check information comes from. Unless you live off the grid and use cash for everything, you're not above it by avoiding Facebook.
And assumably, since you're here on an internet site -- a social forum no less -- you're not off the grid
Now, if you hate Facebook for other reasons, that's you're choice. I just wonder how many saw the movie Social Network and decided it was evil then, or heard from a friend that it was evil and made their decision based off incorrect information, or just lack of knowledge. Like I said in my reply to the other thread, it's what YOU make of it, and nothing more. You have the ability to protect your privacy there, just like you do here. Use an internet pseudonym, don't post your birthday or other private info, and only share what you want. Don't "check in". Block all apps. Only participate with people you know. YOU decide.
Thoughts?
Last edited by DRabbit; 06-05-2011 at 09:37 PM.