Facebook Exodus – Are We Tired of the New Toy?

In a New York Times Magazine article entitled Facebook Exodus, Virginia Heffernan questions whether Facebook users are losing interest like kids lose interest in a new toy. Heffernan cites the reasons her friends are defecting:

  • It makes us too nosy, too focused on other people’s dirt (our “friends”)
  • Some fear stalkers
  • Some feel their privacy is being compromised
  • Some disappear without a word

In addition to this, I would add:

  • It takes a lot of time away from real-life interactions
  • We remember why we weren’t in touch with those old friends from high school – they wouldn’t even talk to me then!
  • People are tired of having more of a relationship with a screen than an actual human
  • It encourages others to talk about you in an open forum, which is fine if everyone loves you
  • It gives us license to be brazen and overly direct
  • We tend to share too much, which can lead to fraud, exploitation and identity theft

Facebook privacy concerns are the issue I am interested in most. A quote in Heffernan’s article by Leif Harmsen sums the privacy issues up perfectly:

“It is not ‘your’ Facebook profile. It is Facebook’s profile about you.”

Facebook is building a dossier on you to sell to others and to market to you with an intimacy never before seen. They know exactly what you like and where you live and who your friends are. This isn’t Big Brother, because YOU ARE CHOOSING to give the information away. We are big brother. I’m not advocating giving it up, just thinking carefully about what you share on Facebook and other social networking sites.

Order your copy of the Facebook Safety Survival Guide to make sure you and your children are protected online.

John Sileo became America’s leading Identity Theft Speaker & Expert after he lost his business and more than $300,000 to identity theft and data breach. His clients include the Department of Defense, Pfizer and the FDIC. To further bulletproof yourself and your business, contact John directly on 800.258.8076.

 

Posted by Identity Theft Speaker in Identity Theft Prevention, Online Privacy and tagged , , .

3 Responses to Facebook Exodus – Are We Tired of the New Toy?

  1. Mary Sileo: September 3, 2009 at 11:47 am

    I totally agree with John on these points!! Thanks for sharing such insightful information, as usual. Plus, John Sileo is such hunk! Smart and good looking!

  2. IDENTITY THEFT: September 23, 2009 at 1:51 pm

    Do not trust anyone when it comes to credit and money matters, even your own fresh and blood, in this case the mighty FACEBOOK. The bible says that a man’s enemies are those of his own house hold. What makes you an exception???

    Identity thieves can disrupt your life and turn it to a hell within seconds. You can become a wanted person illegally without knowing and even find yourself locked up in a jail cell for crimes you did not commit especially if you never noted that your credit report is changing. Be extra careful with this. Hope this information was helpful.

  3. Serena: September 30, 2009 at 8:56 am

    I can speak for myself that I have lost interest in Facebook! I think Facebook is most attractive to
    people who crave attention and recognition–especially those that continuously update their status
    updates. LOL, I used to be one of these people, too. It was fun! Entertaining! Until I realized that I
    could be spending my time being more productive on my hobbies. Oh, and until I realized that most people
    on Facebook don’t really care what you’re up to–they only care that others know what THEY’RE up to! LOL

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