Did Facebook ever enjoy any favor from those who understand the web? Likely not. Ask the I.T. guy at your company or organization. Odds are, if he’s on Facebook, he’s very careful. The greater likelihood is — he’s not. Maybe his WIFE is — for the kids and grandparents. But likely, he shuns and even avoids it.
Do a search, “security problems with Facebook” and you’ll likely see nearly 100 million results. Articles from major news sources will probably abound with titles like, “Five Hidden Dangers of Facebook.”
So why in the world are we shocked when we (suddenly? uhhh… anything but suddenly) learn that millions of users’ personal information has been scraped (or sold?) to non-approved buyers? People have been scraping Facebook for years. Yet, “suddenly” the public is outraged? Hello.
On nearly EVERY overseas trip we make, we ask (one by one) each participant, “Please don’t post any picture or any words that tell where you are and what you’re doing. Please don’t take pictures of group members or locals without asking their permission and if you DO post something, please wait until after the trip and then, if you choose to post, only tell GENERAL things about the GENERAL region you visited.” But better not to post at all.
These “check-in” posts… “Doug is checking in in Warsaw” have bothered me forever. I always think, “OK, now everyone knows they can break into my house?” It’s crazy.
Our I.T. guy seems to get smarter every day. : )
What’s YOUR opinion about social networking? Click comment. But please feel free to make the comment anonymously. : )
‘Tis said, “knowledge is power”. And we see online info (about other people) that we admittedly try to use for our own benefit. So isn’t it naive to think that others would try to “do unto us” as we try to do unto others? Also, that not everyone out there is or wants to be our friend?
It makes sense to share personal things with appropriate family members and friends via specifically addressed e-mails. But proclaiming such things from electronic “housetops” is unwise or prideful. (After all, why should the world care about me, what I have, and what I think?)
How strange that people who claim that they’re so busy and/or far behind also often spend hours on social media! Don’t they have anything important to do?
If we are truly students of culture, we will also understand that social media is part of our current culture and it is going to stay. I must think of my audience and how they are going to receive the Message, and I must know how to communicate this Message to the audience God has called me to. The reality is that many countries of the world use social media more than Americans … so we better be good students of our audience.
Facebook has been very helpful in specialized closed groups for connection, information, support, praying for one another or situations; we’ve seen prayers answered for safety, provision, etc. The main thing is it’s a closed group.