Online Reflection

Ref:
CNN. (18 August, 2010) “Facebook introduces check-in feature.” <http://articles.cnn.com/2010-08-18/tech/facebook.location_1_facebook-friends-facebook-executives-facebook-staff?_s=PM:TECH> (accessed 15 April, 2011)

I’ve chosen a news article from CNN, which is about the newly released feature on Facebook.

Facebook is launching a feature called Places, which allows users who access the network from mobile devices to check-in and broadcast their current location to all of their friends. The check-in function was first available in U.S and it was also available in Hong Kong in February this year. I still remember how excited my friends were when they tried it for the first time.

This function is supposed to be good for socialization since it becomes easier and more flexible to let other friends know where we are, and even with whom we are. But it is also being criticized that it is indeed a violation of privacy. Users are exposing their private information which is assumed not to be made public. It is also said that it increases the risk of burglary, stalking and harassment, especially to users who don’t fully understand the site's privacy options and has no idea of the dangers.

The check-in service becomes an advertising tool also. The restaurants or cafés we are visiting are actually being promoted when we are using the check-in function. Besides the check-in function, user information is being forwarded to third-party by the applications, games and the quizzes we take. We have to either grant permission for them to access information or give up using the apps. Social networking sites are not charity organizations. They have to earn through advertising. Therefore, collecting user data is needed.

We should think carefully about the use of social networks and it is well worth the time to lock down our privacy settings. We should consider more if we decide to post our telephone number and address online. For Facebook, I would update my privacy settings and show the post to my friends only, rather than friends of friends or everybody. We should have a clear division between our private life offline and online, so we can both enjoying socialize with friends online and at the same time keeping a place for our privacy.

Use social media wisely. Otherwise, try to imagine:
When you are supposed to be having a sick leave, your boss discovers that you are being tagged by a non-privacy-sensitive friend, showing that you are having fun at somewhere else instead of staying home and taking a rest; or your girlfriend finds that you go clubbing instead of staying in the office and having OT…Be prepared for another excuse to explain all the mess.