Facebook Privacy
Facebook is one of the most popular social network websites today with a membership count of more than 55 million. What is astonishing is not only that it has such a huge follow list, but that all this has been built in less than three years.
Face book was launched like only yesterday – February 4, 2004 and today is worth billions of dollars. Its founder is Mark Zuckerberg is only 23 years old and he is already dealing with leaders in the field like Microsoft, Google and Yahoo who are hankering to buy a share in this gigantic phenomenon.
What about the privacy of the members?
Initially, Facebook profiles were available only to the members. However, recently the Beacon advertising program was introduced on Face book especially to give access to the search engines to read the advertisements placed on the Facebook member profiles. This has increased the revenue of the members exponentially while has opened some serious issues on Facebook privacy. That means the profiles of the Face book members might be visible by non-members depending upon the interest and the advertisements placed on their profiles.
A website has been initiated especially to protest on the matter of privacy infringement by Facebook's Beacon. The website, MoveOn.org, which has a membership of 70 thousand and still growing, has petitioned Mark to look into the privacy threat and remove Beacon from their Face book. This would represent about 0.2% of the total 55 millions that Facebook has as members and that means the issue and demands for Facebook privacy comes from a very small group of people.
Nonetheless, Mark agreed to do something about it and even apologized for the lapse. He has informed that he values the feelings of all the users of Face book and this issue would be resolved. True to his word, he has added a turn off option to the Beacon – the gateway to search engines – so if you do not want to be "seen" on the Net, you would just have to turn it off. Others Face book members can still see your profile as before, but you would not be visible to non-members anymore no matter what you post on your profile as advertisement.
What is the result with regard to the privacy issues?
Ironically, nothing much has changed. The majority of the Facebook profiles are still accessible to the search engines because most people do not know what Beacon is and do not care to switch it off. Actually, those who do notice the Beacon and use it find it extremely useful and profitable and would never want it off.
This is a win-win situation. Those who want that their Face book profiles be spiderable they can allow it to be so and those who do not want it can just put it off. In the meantime, a lot of people found the Beacon the answer to their prayers as a marketing tool.
Some were puzzled about Mark's immediate action to such a small ripple created by MoveOn.org. However, the spokesperson of Facebook said that they wanted everyone to know that they take Facebook’s privacy issues seriously and believes that trust is still the most important factor on a social network site.
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Some fun rules
1. I can please only one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow isn't looking good either.
2. I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.
3. Am I getting smart with you? How would you know?
4. I'd explain it to you, but your brain would explode.
5. Someday we'll look back on all this and plow into a parked car.
6. There are very few personal problems that cannot be solved through a suitable application of high explosives.
7. Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to get along without it.
8. Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
9. Needing someone is like needing a parachute. If he isn't there the first time you need him, chances are you won't need him again.
10. I don't have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.
11. Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "Where the heck is the ceiling?!"
12. My Reality Check bounced.
13. On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the escape key.
14. I don't suffer from stress. I'm a carrier.
15. You're slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.
16. Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, 'cuz, like, you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
17. Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
And,
18. Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
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