Spring Break
Facebook keeps control out of user's hands
Patrick Fancher
Issue date: 3/2/09 Section: Forum
The popular social network originally announced changes to its "Terms of Service" policy that seemed to give it permanent control over users' data. When users complained loudly, Facebook backed down.
So last week, the company announced a plan to place power in the hands of its members by allowing them to have some control over issues of privacy and agreements. Facebook has done an about-face on its new policy, but I remain skeptical about what direction it's really headed.
My only question is how much power will we actually have?
According to an article on cnetnews.com, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg held a news conference last Thursday and addressed the company's failed approach in revising the user agreement along with the negative stir it created. He discussed the decision-making behind the site's new user-first proposal.
"We took last week as strong signal of how much people care about Facebook and how much they want to govern it," Zuckerberg said.
The topics of discussion will be placed in a forum section where all members can debate and vote for or against any changes to the Facebook agreements that they deem necessary. The site will then "invite the authors of the most insightful and constructive comments" to form a council to handle the future decision-making of privacy issues.
According to the same article, Zuckerberg made sure to mention that the new proposed governance would only deal with privacy issues and data ownership, not with the Facebook product itself.
The terms of service can now be referred to as "The Facebook Statement of Rights and Responsibilities." The new statement confirms that the site does not own any of the user-related content, but then reiterates that using Facebook does give the company non-exclusive rights to do what it wants with the content. They're saying they don't own our content, but they have the right to use our content in any way they see fit.
That sounds like a contradiction to me. You can end your agreement by deleting your material or by simply leaving Facebook, but how can you trust that your content leaves with you or is properly deleted?
So last week, the company announced a plan to place power in the hands of its members by allowing them to have some control over issues of privacy and agreements. Facebook has done an about-face on its new policy, but I remain skeptical about what direction it's really headed.
My only question is how much power will we actually have?
According to an article on cnetnews.com, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg held a news conference last Thursday and addressed the company's failed approach in revising the user agreement along with the negative stir it created. He discussed the decision-making behind the site's new user-first proposal.
"We took last week as strong signal of how much people care about Facebook and how much they want to govern it," Zuckerberg said.
The topics of discussion will be placed in a forum section where all members can debate and vote for or against any changes to the Facebook agreements that they deem necessary. The site will then "invite the authors of the most insightful and constructive comments" to form a council to handle the future decision-making of privacy issues.
According to the same article, Zuckerberg made sure to mention that the new proposed governance would only deal with privacy issues and data ownership, not with the Facebook product itself.
The terms of service can now be referred to as "The Facebook Statement of Rights and Responsibilities." The new statement confirms that the site does not own any of the user-related content, but then reiterates that using Facebook does give the company non-exclusive rights to do what it wants with the content. They're saying they don't own our content, but they have the right to use our content in any way they see fit.
That sounds like a contradiction to me. You can end your agreement by deleting your material or by simply leaving Facebook, but how can you trust that your content leaves with you or is properly deleted?
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