Monday, May 21, 2012

Assignment 1-4-2
Facebook Theories
        Facebook has the popular belief that the primary use is to keep in touch with friends and family. There are more than 150 million Americans using Facebook (Consumer reports 2012). The company has made the service easy to use; many of us share photos, events and accomplishments in our everyday lives. The fact is Facebook does in fact help us keep in touch and find people we would not otherwise keep in touch with. However, Facebook collects data on the sites we visit and the sites people choose to click the like button. Even if you have chosen only to reveal the information to friends the data is transferred. Facebook is able to sell this information for profit (Consumer reports 2012). People also tend to make poor choices of what information to share.  Some entries have described where people are going to go and where they are going to be there.  Information normally people would not share outside of the people the trust. Unfortunately the user did not set the privacy controls and it is shared with anyone who happens to view it (Consumer reports 2012).
       One of the most common myths is that Facebook is used most by college kids. Originally Facebook was released only to the creator’s college friends.  In 2010 two-thirds of the 134 million user in the U.S. was 26 years and older.  Facebook is being used in several different countries by all age groups. The fastest growing group being middle aged females (Kirkpatrick,2010).
      Insights gained from this information; to set your privacy settings, not to share anything you that may comprise your safety, and when making choices on Facebook to like something someone is waiting to count it.



References
Facebook & your privacy. Consumer Reports,24-31.(2012, June) Retrieved from
Kirkpatrick, D (2010,September 26). Five myths about Facebook. The Washington Post.
        Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-   
        dyn/content/article/2010/09/23/AR2010092304440.html

No comments:

Post a Comment