What causes some people to be paranoid about Facebook?

[Jess]

Now, obviously one shouldn't post illegal content or pictures of themselves out partying after having called in sick to work. But this stuff is just common sense. Or is it not common sense?

Besides making blunders or possible illegal activities known (which would be unwise anywhere, not just Facebook), why are some people so paranoid?

Are they really upset that some company might know what they buy?

BQ: Do many such people also refuse to use credit or debit cards for this reason, and only deal in cash?

[♥ Morgan]

Mean comments bullying its horribale.

[Flummox]

I think it's more of privacy concerns

[Metalhead498]

Facebook is responsible for ruined friendships,ruined relationships and not to mention that the people who run facebook are constantly being questioned by regulators regarding what happens to peoples personal information.Your personal information could be sold to companies for research/marketing purpose without your consent,it's always a troubling issue.

[☼Rachel☼]

Well I guess they really value their job. It's usually hard to get and keep a good job if you're caught doing something illegal. Plus they think other people might put photos of themselves up that they have no control of or won't notice until it's too late, which can cause some paranoia.

BQ: Some might, but I don't know too many people that do that.

[The Winner]

They are stupid. If you don't want people in your business.. don't post it.

[★Merry Glinda★]

Saw a program, maybe Dateline or 60 minutes, about Facebook and employment. It was astonishing how many companies, when interviewing someone, will look for their Facebook page to see who it is they really are. You can tell alot about someone on their Facebook page, and their posts, and their pictures.

There was one hidden camera interview where the person interviewing asked the potential employee (in the middle of the interview) to sign onto Facebook then and there. Because he wouldn't have time to change it, or make a fake one, or to "clean it up" a bit. Apparently it is not against the law for companies to do this, but it is SUCH an invasion of privacy.

Apparently a lot of people are now creating two Facebook accounts, one for work related purposes, and one for their real lives.

I will say, as a rep for a company, if one of my clients really wanted to, they could try to find me on Facebook. Then what is to stop them from making financial decisions, or deciding they don't want to do business with my company because I posted a drunken table top dancing picture?

It's why I don't do Facebook anymore. Invasion of privacy and potential stalking. Had stalking issues before, and it's scary.

[Bradford]

They save everything that you have EVER posted in a massive database that has no government oversight. Even stuff you think you deleted they have saved. It is a private corporation that will always do what is best for itself. There is nothing stopping FB from selling their massive storehouse of user data to anyone who wants it, including to the government. There is no assurance of anything resembling privacy on the site, and they have a history of making "private" data visible to the "public" without informing users until after the fact (what if you only log in once per month?) There is just too much potential for abuse of this information. And FB has a well-documented history of handling this info poorly, without true regard for the privacy of its users (of course they apologize & say they care after they fuck up, but only because saying that is good for business).

If that is too vague for you, you obviously aren't keeping in mind the potential impact of unexpected events. The government might not want FB's info NOW, but what if we get into WW3 and have something akin to the communist paranoia of the 1950s? We already have the Patriot Act & it has been accepted like it is nothing. Anything can happen. Why give anybody all this info?

And the entire model of "social networking" is completely flawed. People got along for thousands of years without having to know what someone they talked to twice during 5th grade ate for lunch. Real friends don't need FB to keep in touch. It is a completely unnecessary device. When you consider the risks noted above, and the fact it is not needed, there is really no reason to expose one's self by giving this company any of your personal info.

Whenever someone doesn't want to be friends with me because they can't find me on FB, or because I'm not willing to hand over oodles of personal info to a shady company, I know I am not losing someone who would be a good friend anyway.

[Sue Whee]

Theres certain people who wanted to be Facebook friends who I really needed to keep away from certain OTHER people who also wanted to be friends.
The simplest solution for me was to simply drop my Facebook account and not go on there.

BQ: When you use cash you only spend what you have.