[LM_NET] TARGET: Have you seen the notice about FACEBOOK violating privacy?

[Mary Ann Bell <drmaryannbell@GMAIL.COM>]

Did anybody else see this and have a reaction: It is being distributed
via MoveOn.org...I checked both Hoaxbusters and Snopes and there were
no postings about it.

When you buy a book, movie, or gift online, do you want that
information automatically shared with everyone you know?
Last week, the social networking site Facebook began doing just that.
Private purchases made by Facebook users on other sites were posted on
Facebook for people's co-workers, friends, and random acquaintances to
see.1 Why? To benefit corporate advertisers.
Other sites are looking at Facebook's example to see if they can get
away with similar privacy breaches. We need to draw a line in the
sand—making clear that the wish lists of corporate advertisers must
not come before the basic privacy rights of Internet users.
Can you urge Facebook to stop violating privacy rights? If you're on
Facebook, join our Facebook group and invite your Facebook friends. If
you're not on Facebook, you can sign our petition to Facebook.
You can join the Facebook group "Facebook, stop invading my privacy!" here:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3202&id=11708-5475629-RVW9PX&t=5
Click here to sign the petition (see box at right for petition text):
http://civ.moveon.org/facebookprivacy/?rc=fb_air&id=11708-5475629-RVW9PX&t=6
This fight is about more than just Facebook users. Sites like Facebook
are revolutionizing how we communicate and could transform how we
organize around issues together in a 21st century democracy. The
question is, will corporate advertisers get to write the rules? Or
will these new social networks protect our basic rights—including
privacy?
Like our work together for Net Neutrality2, this is fundamentally
about the future of the Internet as a public space.
Here's what some people wrote on the public Wall of our Facebook group:
"I made a purchase yesterday for my wife for Christmas...When my wife
logged onto Facebook, there was an entry in her news feed that I had
bought a ring from Overstock. It had a link to the ring and
everything. Christmas ruined."—Sean L. from Massachusetts

"I saw my girlfriend bought an item i had been saying i wanted...so
now part of my christmas gift has been ruined. Facebook is ruining
christmas!"—Matthew H. from New York
"Facebook, are you kidding me? This is way out of bounds for a program
I never opted into."—Matthew F. from Georgia3
By fighting back now—and getting lots of people to join the Facebook
group and sign the petition—we can send a strong signal to Facebook
and other sites that Internet privacy must be protected.
Thanks for all you do,
–Adam G., Daniel, Marika, Eli, Wes, Karin, and the MoveOn.org Civic Action Team
  Tuesday, November 27th, 2007
P.S. Facebook says its users can "opt out" of having their private
purchases made public. But the link is easy to miss.4 And even if you
do "opt out" for purchases on one site, it doesn't apply to purchases
on other sites—you have to keep opting out site by site, week by week,
month by month. The obvious solution is to switch to an "opt in"
policy, like most other features on Facebook.
Sources:
1. Demonstration of new Facebook feature:
http://civ.moveon.org/facebookprivacy/beacon_demo.html?id=11708-5475629-RVW9PX&t=7
"MoveOn Takes On Facebook," New York Times political blog, November 20, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3184&id=11708-5475629-RVW9PX&t=8
2. "Top Ten Examples Of Grassroots Activism In The Net Neutrality Fight"
http://civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/littleguy.html?id=11708-5475629-RVW9PX&t=11
"Obama Promises To Reinstate Net Neutrality During First Year In
Office—MoveOn Challenges Other Presidential Candidates To Pledge The
Same," MoveOn.org Civic Action press release, October 29, 2007
http://civ.moveon.com/releases/071029netneutralityobama.html
3. Facebook group "Facebook, stop invading my privacy!"
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3178&id=11708-5475629-RVW9PX&t=12
4. Demonstration of new Facebook feature:
http://civ.moveon.org/facebookprivacy/beacon_demo.html?id=11708-5475629-RVW9PX&t=13
Facebook description of Beacon feature:
http://www.facebook.com/business/?beacon




-- 

*********************************
"Try Curiosity!"--Dorothy Parker
*********************************
Dr. Mary Ann Bell
Associate Professor
Sam Houston State University
A Member of the Texas State University System
Department of Library Science
lis_mah@shsu.edu
drmaryannbell@gmail.com

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