Facebook go Rogue

There has been a lot written over the last couple of weeks about Facebook's privacy changes. I ignored it for a while, assuming it was the same short-lived fist-shaking which greets any change in the site, however there seems to be more to genuinely grumble about this time. This Wired article lays out how Facebook has completely changed its purpose since is formation, while this article has interesting thoughts on the meaning of "public" and "private". There have also been some interesting infographics; one from the fantastic New York Times, which points out the current FB privacy document is longer than the US constitution. Another shows the erosion of privacy over the years (above).

Though it would be hyperbole to suggest people are rejecting Facebook, it is telling how much interest this open alternative has been receiving (raising $82K from donors to startup), and how many people are killing off their online identities. It is worth thinking about as it is only going to get worse in the future.

And yes, I am aware of the irony of having a Facebook Like button for this post.