Where is facebook going?

[Freaker]

Is it just me, or has the facebook changed yet again? Seems like all friends are grouped together now, not by schools any more, and there are pictures in the mutual friends section.

After the new search, the new groups thing and the whole pictures thing, what direction is this meant to be going in? And am I the only one who wonders why facebook would want to allow everyone to upload an unlimited number of pictures without ever charging us anything? I'm sure the ads don't get them THAT much money...

An enjoyable read: http://tinyurl.com/74wnb . Then check out the facebook privacy policy at http://standrews.facebook.com/policy.php . Am I the only one being worried here?

[DrAlex]

To be completely honest, if all their using my data for is market research, I don't really mind.

I have yet to hear a truly scary example of where my data might be going. Anyone have any ideas?

[hr]

"Listen to DrAlex."-Polli
http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37100343

[flarewearer]

Im not quite sure what market research they can do with my personal data;

Interests: Drawing, Music, Coffee, Tea, Food, Ducks, Walks, Seaside
Favorite Music: Postrock, Ambient, Instrumental, Electronic, Classical
Favorite TV Shows: Fred Dibnah, Look Around You, Black Books.
Favorite Movies: The Cruel Sea
Favorite Books: everything George Orwell, John Wyndham, Upton Sinclair - The Jungle, Nicholas Monserrat - Cruel Sea, Ray Bradbury - Fahrenhiet 451

[hr]

[Freaker]

What gets me more than them using the information I give them for market research - that is alright, after all I am aware of what I write to them, is this:

"We may use information about you that we collect from other sources, including but not limited to newspapers and Internet sources such as blogs, instant messaging services and other users of Facebook, to supplement your profile."
- From the facebook privacy policy

I don't understand whether they allow themselves to pass that information along with the info I give them - and how they plan to obtain it in the first place - but that thought does creep me out a little.

And yepp, as a facebook user I am fully aware of all of these things and that I could always leave if I did not want to agree to their terms any more.

[The chap]

I have recently started getting bullshit stock market analysis and info on crappy stocks that are about to do something great on account of some information that is about to become public, etc. All nonsense to try and provoke me into punting funds into these garbage recomendations.
I don't know if anyone else is getting these, but in term of where these pricks get my e mail address from it could only really be the a handful of culprits, UCAS, the I.T department security breach or Facebook.

[DrAlex]

Quoting The Chap from 13:18, 24th Apr 2006
I have recently started getting bullshit stock market analysis

I get the same, coincidentally (*scoff*) to my "contact email".

Quoting flarewearer from 13:03, 24th Apr 2006
Im not quite sure what market research they can do with my personal data...

TIME LIFE PRESENTS: The Beach-Walks and Bird Watching Collection: A fine collection of Abient tunens and Orwellian short stories as narrated by Frank Dibnah.

Actually that sounds kind of cool.

[hr]

"Listen to DrAlex."-Polli
http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37100343

[Telinar]

I wish they'd leave it alone. It's turning into change after superfluous change. There was no need to categorise groups. Admittedly photo albums for groups is a good idea but still, most of the changes are unnecessary like grouping all your friends into one. I preferred it when they were all separated.

[hr]

http://telinar-beln.deviantart.com or http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37105240

[Sid]

I don't like it, because all but three of my 'other school' friends are fake. When I was bored one day, i added half the characters from Dallas as well as some mobsters, Tony Soprano and the like, there is also a BFG and triumph the insult comic dog in there as well. I liked keeping the fake friends away from the genuine ones.

[bramble]

I just get used to one format and it changes again
Im all confused!

[hr]

Ich will die Ruhe stören...

[cberry]

The $13 million of capital mentioned in your article is small change. Here's an article noting facebook.com has turned down an offer for $750 million and are seeking up to $2 billion in a sale.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ ... 215976.htm

They have also integrated global search into their regular search, seems like its trying to move away from the university-wide model into a more network-wide model that would make it more attractive to large media companies.

Myspace was sold to Newscorp for $580 million and has since doubled its usership, and already has revenue of $200 million on currently underpriced advertising. Facebook, though smaller, is the only viable competitor to Myspace. This makes it extremely valuable to the established big media companies, all of which have plenty of dosh to spend.

Chris

[orudge]

Ah, I knew something had changed a bit with the listings, but couldn't quite pin it down until I read this - indeed, the other schools are now not listed separately.

As for what they do with my data, I'm not overly worried or bothered. One can find most of the data I list there elsewhere on the Internet without too much trouble.

I notice how they've been rebranding other unis as "networks" now... seems like another step in the direction of a global social networking site, as opposed to what Facebook always was. I'm not completely sure I like the direction it's going in, in a way one thing that made Facebook different to myspace, bebo, etc, was the fact that it was exclusively for uni students and annoying 13-year olds couldn't get on it. This is in theory changing now with the addition of high schools, I'm just wondering how long it might be before they open registration to anyone. (Which, incidentally, they basically have with the high school thing, as they don't require a school-specific e-mail address, just any old address).

Ah well, c'est la vie I suppose.


[hr]

http://www.owenrudge.net/
http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37103734

[Admin]

I get several emails a month from people asking me for a Sinner mailing list, and I always decline.

[Lid]

They've also removed the 'Clubs and Jobs' section of profiles, too

[hr]

We are not drunks, we are multi-millionaires

[DrAlex]

Quoting orudge from 16:43, 24th Apr 2006
I notice how they've been rebranding other unis as "networks" now... seems like another step in the direction of a global social networking site, as opposed to what Facebook always was.

I wager it's a case of when, not if, for that change to come on. I'll leave when it does, for the whole fun of facebook for me was the university only nature of it.

Quoting Lid from 18:14, 24th Apr 2006
They've also removed the 'Clubs and Jobs' section of profiles, too

Might as well, because most clubs and jobs can be groups.

[hr]

"Listen to DrAlex."-Polli
http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37100343

[orudge]

Quoting Lid from 18:14, 24th Apr 2006
They've also removed the 'Clubs and Jobs' section of profiles, too

Just noticed they have a new, separate "jobs" section now, though.

[hr]

http://www.owenrudge.net/
http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37103734