Why do some people INSIST on putting their facebook/myspace/twitter profiles private?

[Cece]

Part of the internet is to connect with people. To anyone who has "private" profile on a social networking system-- why? You don't have to display your address, phone number, or damaging personal info on there... so why the secrecy? I can understand being worried about a (potential) employer looking at your info, but beyond that, why do you keep your things private?

[Kameron]

because when people join a social site they expect to be able to talk to their friends and easier way...but the truth is stalkers like these sites just because a no one seems to be stalking a person... the world is one big huge secret...so when people make their profile private that prevent unwanted guests

[Jbell]

because they don't want certain people to look at it like wife/husband, parents, family members. like some people post pictures drinking smoking, clubbing, kissing doing drugs and all that. i got my public cuz i'm single independent i do what ever i want and nobody cares.

[Cecily B]

to make your information + pictures private -- if you're profile is on private, you can control who sees it. if it's public, it's out of your control. personally, my grandma has facebook, and i love her to death but i don't really want her seeing if i post something containing the word "damn" or have a picture that doesn't meet her standard for modesty...
plus all that scary stuff about stalkers anbd creeps.