The new Facebook changes are an invasion of privacy

The+new+Facebook+changes+are+an+invasion+of+privacy

By Alyssa Pracz

If you think the constant Facebook changes are annoying, just wait for what is soon to come. The new Timeline on Facebook is just another way to share more information than necessary online. It decreases users’ online privacy and, at this rate, users’ private lives will be completely exposed.

The new timeline on Facebook allows users to literally look at their “Facebook life” as a timeline. It allows users to see what their “friends” have commented on, past statuses they posted and former relationships they were in all within the click of a button.

All you have to do is select a particular day, month and year, and it will take you back to the actions you did that day on Facebook. Aside from being confusing (like most Facebook updates are), it’s becoming a little too personal.

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune titled, “New Facebook Information Sharing Features Cause Privacy Concerns,” it allows people to see every action made, even things like songs people listened to or videos people viewed.

“I think it’s ridiculous, and it’s one step closer for them to get more information,” said junior biology major Alex Gallivan. “How far will it go?”

Yes, there are privacy settings that users can use to protect themselves, but not everyone in the Facebook community takes advantage of them. If you search someone’s name, there’s a good chance you’ll see at least their basic information without knowing them.

Not to mention, with all the sudden changes, it’s often difficult to figure out how to access the privacy settings as well, at least until you’re used to how the new system works.

Besides having less privacy on Facebook, also noted in the Chicago Tribune article is that users never get a choice.

Whenever Facebook makes a new update or changes its homepage, users are forced to go along with it, even if they aren’t in favor of it. Users would rather Facebook stick to the way it was before. At the rate this is all going, and how frequently Facebook seems to change, when will it stop? How much personal information is enough?

People are showing more and more on Facebook through pictures, statuses about what they’ve done and videos they’ve posted. With all these things people are using to “express their personalities,” Facebook should not just be making privacy its primary concern; it should increase its protection since people do put so much information online.

I think the new timeline is trying to dig too much information out of us, and I’m interested to see what other people’s reaction will be once they see it.

If it’s not a privacy concern, then it’s a concern for couples. Beware when your significant other starts badgering you about who you dated in the past or old comments you sent to other guys/girls. Uh oh…