Facebook – How about privacy?

Jn
EAP2-Writing workshop
Argument essay
Feb 17, 2009

How is Facebook latently dangerous?” is a question that always comes to my mind when I put my private thing on it. I think of it, but I have not done anything since I got an assignment to argue about Facebook. I became interested in the bad things to find out what they are. It also helps me to know more about Facebook and prevent problem things that may happen when I use it.

The reason that I use Facebook sounds practical. I used it as a tool that I can use to get pictures from my friends. I didn’t think that means my friends also were able to get my pictures from Facebook without asking my permission. What is that? Are my private things protected? Of course they are not. My information and pictures are still on Facebook, even when I am offline. Facebook has become one of popular websites in the world, because people like it, and they can contact each other easily all over the world. However, users’ privacy may have been a big problem for them since the day they went on Facebook. “(b) Examples of Facebook Site Information. The Facebook Site Information may include, without limitation, the following information, to the extent visible on the Facebook Site: your name, your profile picture, your gender, your birthday, your hometown location (city/state/country), your current location (city/state/country), …”. (Term of service of Facebook, 2008, para. 7). There are some disadvantages of Facebook that we should think about to avoid troubles, such as the fact that your privacy is unprotected, your relationship, and your work may be affected by Facebook, and Facebook has a right to keep and use your information without your authority.

First, since you have signed up for Facebook successfully, your information can be shown on Facebook every single minute. Let’s go to your Facebook, choose your friends to see their profile. You can know their activities every day. This does not mean your friends put this information there themselves, but the others did. People know them, know their activities and then put these things on your Facebook. Moreover, you can take their pictures without asking them. It seems to be nice when the relationships among them are good. But, if not, what will happen? For example, a young lady after the Valentines Day, she receives a message from her friend “Thanks for wonderful Valentines day. I was happy to be with you last night. Thank you!!!”. It seems not to be nice when people put private things on it and everyone can read it. It can cause a rumor at her school. In my country this lady certainly will not be able to get another relationship after that, or it can be dangerous for her. “A woman was beaten up and shot dead by her father for talking online with a man she met on the website Facebook” (mailonline, 2008, para.1). Showing the private activities on Facebook may be harmful to your friends.

Second, have you ever asked yourself what the important things in your life are? Since I came to the US, I do know my birthday and my last name is very important, because they are related to my activities in my bank, my checking account, my phone contracts, and many things else in my life. In daily life, when you have some problem thing or something that you need to do with your bank or your company, you usually call them, and then come up there. People who work in these places would ask your last name, and your birthday to solve the problem. What will happen if the bad guys use your information for their purpose? You will not be able to know until what happens to you in real life. Facebook is the place that shows a lot of information that intelligent people can find out and use for their own aims that could be harmful for you.

Third, your relationships can be destroyed because of Facebook. When both you and your partner have Facebook, you can also know your partners’ friends. What do you think if you receive a message on your wall “Hey, are you going to divorce?” or the wife may be angry with her husband when she find out what her husband did before, or whether he told a lie to her because of the message on Facebook. Is users’ privacy protected? The fact is that there is no barrier to get their information in Facebook. It is dangerous for users.

In conclusion, there are still many disadvantages of Facebook that we should be aware of, because no one can protect you better than yourself. Be careful with your private information; try not to add the people who you do not really know in your friend list. These are the ways that can help you now. Now let’s take a deep breath and begin to delete your birthday on your Facebook.

References

Mailonline. (2009,March 31). Facebook girl beaten and shot dead by her father for talking online. Retrieved on February 19, 2009, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-550569/Facebook-girl-beaten-shot-dead-father-talking-online.html

Facebook. (2007, May 24). Platform Application Terms of Use. Retrieved on February 19, 2009, from http://developers.facebook.com/user_terms.php