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Your Ex-CoWorkers Will Kill Facebook

Random BedHead Ed writes "Cory Doctorow writes about the downside of social networking on the Information Week site, with a focus on Facebook. While he starts with some minor but insightful quibbles, he quickly moves to a critique of the core of social networking: 'Imagine how creepy it would be to wander into a co-worker's cubicle and discover the wall covered with tiny photos of everyone in the office, ranked by 'friend' and 'foe,' with the top eight friends elevated to a small shrine decorated with Post-It roses and hearts.' Do you really want to add your boss and coworkers to your friends list? (And more to the point, do you really have a choice?)"

3 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. uh, dont use it? by 192939495969798999 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Maybe just don't use it. What is your company going to do, fire you for not wasting work time creating a virtual soap opera?

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  2. Social Networking Sites in General by CFTM · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's beyond me why people are so quick to spill their most personal secrets on a social networking site; it just seems to me that people have no idea that anything that they say, type or post is often available for the world to see. Sorry but I don't like that kind of invasion of privacy and I never have...I can remember being 13 years, being on AOL and being wary to give any personal information out that I would want to be in public domain, but I seem to be very alone in this idea in my peer group (26 now).

    Heck, I've even had people I used to work attempt to add me to their friends list and I rejected them. Then again I'm one of those people who only accepts invitations from people I know in the flesh, don't allow myself to be searched for and never post anything on the profile anyways.

    1. Re:Social Networking Sites in General by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's beyond me why people are so quick to spill their most personal secrets on a social networking site;

      Probably the same reason we pick our noses in our cars, despite everyone being able to see us. It feels more private and anonymous than it really is.