The Downside of Facebook

I opened my Facebook page a few days ago to read: "Do you think Margaret Houk showers daily?" "Do you think Margaret Houk is gay?" My daughter says she had a set of similar questions, one of which was "Do you think Tim (her son) could kill?" I was deeply offended, appalled at the gall that someone who would make such deeply personal statements in reference to me or my family members publicly and online. What was going on?

It turned out that a close and technically challenged friend of one of my daughters took a Facebook survey. Facebook took the information she thought was "just a joke" and used it to make these personal attacks. Apparently they were sent to everyone on our Facebook Friends lists. This friend never expected the info she gave would be used in such a manner. She never intended it would be used elsewhere nor did she give Facebook permission to do so. This, my friends, is the downside of Facebook. It's not likely to change or improve, since this is the way Facebook makes its money--by using and selling our personal information.

My daughter and I have removed all the personal data from our Facebook profiles. We both have privacy settings on our sites, but this could not prevent what happened. Still, it's out there now, and it can never be erased. Who knows what they will do with it? Facebook has come up with offensive uses of data before and backed off when the public complained. The problem is, they will keep trying to find new ways to use it because, again, their object is to make money off it. They're trying now to extend their reach to children. Be aware, parents, of what your children are doing online.

Facebook is not going away. It has been a great way to share family photos and the goings on in our personal lives with our friends. Apparently it played a major role in stimulating the pro-democracy movement in North African countries. I love following the humorous quips my sassy lovable rebel daughter comes up with regularly. But we've got to be aware and cautious about the misuse of our data and find a way to prevent it. Any ideas out there?

Surprised and distressed,
Margaret