[Public-List] Privacy Issues?

[Kris Coward]

One of the privacy issues I've observed most acutely, and which I
actually have a facebook account to address, is the issue of "tagged"
photos. Basically, the main thing I use my account for is to delete
instances where someone has "tagged" me in a photo (if I didn't have an
account, they'd just enter my name, and there wouldn't be anything for
me to do about it; with an account, my name gets autocompleted, linked
to my account, and I can then go and remove the tag).

There are the obvious broader privacy concerns about employers, insurers,
law enforcement, etc. seeing me in photographs that could give them an
entirely wrong--and actionable--impression (as a simple example, I have
a hunting picture from last November posted at
http://unripe.melon.org/pictures/hunt2010/1288873749430.jpg
Although my friend's rifle in the foreground is actually pointed up and
to my right--and very much so--most people taking a first glance at the
picture think it's pointed at me).

Even absent those obvious concerns though, there are also things that
people don't want other people to see as a matter of simple courtesy.
I'm pretty sure that my father doesn't want to see pictures of how I'm
dressed at Pride day. It's not something I'd get in any sort of trouble
over; in fact I'd probably never find out if he'd seen any such
pictures. That said, I'm confident in my assumption that it would make
him uncomfortable if he were to log on to facebook, go through the
pictures in which I'm tagged to try to find something to, say, include
in a Christmas card, and see such a picture in his search.

There are just too many social customs, both institutional and informal,
which are based on assuming a certain degree of privacy, for me to want
to go jumping on some sort of privacy-abandoning bandwagon until
everyone else who I know is already aboard (and has been for a while).

Cheers,
Kris

On Wed, Jan 04, 2012 at 01:51:25PM -0600, Brennan Carney wrote:
> I do not have a facebook for my own reasons, but if you want to justify not
> having a group there based on "privacy issues" you seriously need to
> rethink your position. What secrets would you post that would be
> detrimental to your existence if they were found out? If that's the case,
> perhaps the internet is not the best place for those. Even in this list,
> there is no way to vet for all of the group members. Furthermore, facebook
> only has the information that you give them. As I recall, they only ask for
> your e-mail address... no credit card numbers, no social security, no
> account numbers, etc. Also, in the days when I did have a facebook, I
> never received a single spam message from them. As to tracking, I seriously
> do not see how the corporate world could use my fondness for old boats to
> their marketing advantage. I'm all for not having a facebook account, (it's
> a waste of time, annoying shrines to mediocrity, etc.) but consider the
> positions based on realistic issues and not some unfounded fears that
> quickly deteriorate under the light of scrutiny. "It's new and I don't like
> it" is hardly an adept argument.
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-- 
Kris Coward					http://unripe.melon.org/
GPG Fingerprint: 2BF3 957D 310A FEEC 4733  830E 21A4 05C7 1FEB 12B3

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