I think the most important difference between for example Twitter and Facebook is that in Facebook people share more personal things compared to Twitter. Also in Twitter a lot of people are behind a nickname where as in Facebook people are actually using their own name and it’s shown everywhere. I don’t mind that my followers for example in Twitter are public since it works with a nickname and the if you want to share your full name you’re more than entitled to do so. Where as in Facebook it guides you to share your full name and makes it thus easier to connect that data to you than in Twitter. This fundamental difference, as far as I’m concerned, has always been more of pain point than anything else.
Now that the privacy settings have been made more clearer, it still doesn’t really mean that people will understand why to use them. As the privacy isn’t just about the technology but awareness of people. I still think that part of people don’t really understand why it’s important to have the privacy features or what is really good to share. I’m sad to say that at the moment I’m not still all convinced that defaults in Facebook privacy settings are all quite OK. I wouldn’t want to undermine people and say that they won’t get why privacy is important but I’m afraid that’s what is going to happen.
Most of my Facebook friends aren’t really my friends but more like acquaintances. You still add them there because you don’t want to be rude and you might want to get to know them. Do I really want them to see all the things I want my close friends to see? No, I don’t. I know how to manage that, but can the average Joe do it? I think not. He won’t probably even care until something bad happens.
This isn’t of course only issue with Facebook. It applies generally to internet privacy and I don’t have a clear solution for this. I wouldn’t mind though if the default privacy settings would be more stricter.
I wrote this first as a comment to a Facebook and Privacy: It’s Time to Move On article/.