In class last week we discussed social networking and other web 2.0 tools in the library and as they pertain to intellectual freedom. This week, interesting news about just these things has emerged.
Facebook, the most used social network on the web, has announced that they will allow users to create their own username (starting 12:01am Saturday June 13), instead of using the randomly assigned number that users have now. That means instead of being www.facebook.com/546787639820 or however it is written now, you can be www.facebook.com/Jamesbell. They claim that this will make it easier to "find and connect with" people. This doesn't translate into easier searching however. There can only be one www.facebook.com/JohnSmith, and there are 50,000 people in the USA named John Smith (to find out how unique your name is, check out http://howmanyofme.com/).
If you are already friends with someone, you can tell them, see me at www.facebook.com/JohnSmith1234, but if you are already friends, shouldn't you just "request" their facebook-friendship? That leaves just one reason to make this change to usernames: non-facebook related advertising. Now, on your business card, resume, personal ads, whatever, you can add www.Facebook.com/John.Smith.Is.The.Man right underneath phone, fax and email. This will make facebook something that can be advertised in areas off the web.
I am not sure if I like this, one of the best things about Facebook is the ability to not be found by people who you don't want to find you. You have to be connected or invite someone to be your friend. But now, if putting your FB username on contact forms and other things, it will become more public. Myspace did this a while back, but I have never told anyone, "hey, look at my myspace page at www.myspace.com/Imnottellingyou". Myspace was always designed as a place to meet new people, not a place to connect with people you already know or knew before, like Facebook was originally. so usernames just help make everything more public.
And this is what brings us to "Intellectual Freedom": Privacy. Yes, there are privacy settings in searches. But what about the privacy from people who do know you? What about how to block being "Friended" by your Mother, because let me tell you, there is no good way out of that pickle! You either Friend her, or you hear about it next holiday. What about keeping the "Networks" you are a part of private from someone Googling your username? I am a private person generally. I like to think that Facebook is just an amplifier for the personality you already have (annoying people in real life are annoying times ten on Facebook, or people who make inappropriate comments in real life now have a venue to make inappropriate comments that ten times as many people will notice). One thing it cant amplify, however, anonymity. Unless of course, I go and cancel my account.
Links:
The Facebook Announcement
Opinion Piece by Douglas Rushkoff
Side Note: Isn't it funny that Blogger (Google owned) refuses to acknowledge that the word Facebook is not a typo for Face book, casebook, passbook, or forsook. Sometimes it isn't just about recognizing the word is correct, but also sticking it to your competitor.
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4 comments:
Great minds think alike-- we both wrote on this...
So did you grab your name last night? I didn't...so I am sure all the other Donna Bowman's have my name. :(
Hello Rob,
Thanks for the Facebook update. I too like you don't know if I want to openly publicize my name and have more and more people being able to locate me..That's one thing I like about Facebook it's very private and only chosen/selected friends can view your personal page...With that being said I doubt if I will particapate with the name change/new feature?? I think I will talk to some of my friends and find out what they think about this new feature.
I liked the howmanyofme.com link you provided. I looked my name up and there are over 1000 Anna Roberts. I am not too worried about people finding me with my name. I then looked up my name using my maiden name, the result...I am an original!
I also liked how you said facebook was an amplifier for behavior. What a true statement. Last year I found a video that emphasizes this the annoying elements of social networking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrlSkU0TFLs
I'm glad you posted this because I saw that announcement on faceboook last week, and wondered what it was all about. I'm like you I don't think I really want to have people find me that way. It's so much easier to just search by name and send a friend request. It might be good for organizations or people that do a lot of networking or have to use facebook for their job, but I'm just on there for fun, so it doesn't really affect me much.
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