Privacy, Please: More Oversharing Stories

I have previously expressed my feelings on posting childrens' pictures on Facebook and general oversharing online. To recap, I don't like it. There are too many freaks out there so I think you have to be careful with what information you give out online, especially where children are concerned since they have no control over what their parents post.

Today on Facebook I was reminded yet again how stupid people can be at times. This is the question Walgreens Pharmacy posed to their fans on Facebook:

"Who can't believe their little boy or girl is all grown up and heading to school this fall?"

Something like "I can't believe how fast they grow!" would suffice here. Instead, this question was answered by 122 people who all told us how old their kids are, what grade they will be going in to, and of course the posters' full names and pictures were there for all of the people on Walgreens' Facebook page to see. Maybe I'm paranoid or I've read one too many stories about someone being killed for their baby, but I'm lost on why people overshare so much info, especially about their kids.

Thoughts?

Why I May Leave Facebook and Why I Might Not

With May 31 being heralded at Quit Facebook Day, I've been thinking about whether or not I want to leave. I thought I would look at the things that annoy me about Facebook before I decide. I am guilty of committing many of these Facebook sins but they annoy me all the same. If you're one of my Facebook friends, I'm (probably) not talking about you.

1. People complain about privacy but do nothing to help themselves. We all whine about Facebook's privacy settings being complicated or that we do not even really have privacy but then we're the ones oversharing with 600 of our "closest" friends. If you don't know all of your "friends" VERY well you should probably reconsider posting your address and every picture you take of your kid.

2. Let's look at the oversharing again. No one wants to hear about your gas problems or read along while you fight with your boyfriend on Facebook. It isn't worthwhile. It isn't cute. It isn't funny. It's annoying.

3. Speaking of not caring... The posts on Facebook get mundane. I know that that is kind of the point. Tell us what you're doing and all of that but after awhile the pointless updates get annoying. Some people seem to post every thought they have and it's annoying.

4. If you're going to be mundane, at least stop after one post. Facebook users post about the same thing over and over and over again. I don't care if it's your job, your kids, or your garden; no one wants to read 10 posts about it. Change it up a little bit. I just know there is more to you than that one subject you post about non-stop.

5. Ego Alert! For the first 1-4 reasons I listed, Facebook has become ego central. Admit it, there has to be some egocentric behavior going on for us to think that anyone cares about the bottle of perfume we bought or that the dog just went for a walk. I admit that I'm guilty of this, too. I also realize that this is Facebook's point. However, that doesn't detract from the fact that we go overboard with these types of posts.

6. Coy Status Updates. We've all seen these posts. "Thanks for all the support." "I can't believe that happened!" or my favorite, "My life is falling apart!!!" And nothing more. The poster doesn't come right out and say what's on their mind so instead they type of a mysterious status update. I can only assume that the poster just wants attention/sympathy. If you don't want to tell us, don't post about it at all. Simple as that.

Since I bashed Facebook, it's only fair I tell what I like.

1. Old friends. It is interesting to connect with old friends and see what they're up to. Facebook can definitely be a great way to keep in touch with old and new friends.

2. I'm Nosy. This is no secret to anyone out there but yes, I am very nosy and Facebook can be like the ultimate bathroom cabinet to rummage through since everyone tells their whole life story.

3. Deals. In addition to being nosy, I'm cheap. There are deals to be had if you "like" companies that offer freebies. I've gotten free perfume and coupons through comapny's like Clinique and Bounce that have Facebook pages.

4. I really do care. Despite the fact that I don't want to read 40 status updates all about your new couch, I do care about how you're doing. I also enjoy looking at your pictures. It's all about moderation and nothing in excess.

Do you agree with me on any of these points? What annoys you about Facebook? What do you like about it?

Facebook is still a choice, right?

Did Facebook become required? What did I miss? Assuming we still have a choice on whether or not to use Facebook, I'm curious as to why a bunch of bored Senators feel the need to whine about it to the extent of possibly involving the Federal Trade Commission. After all, with immigration issues, unemployment, and oh yeah, a WAR I guess this is all we have to worry about and spend tax dollars on.

My understanding is that Facebook is making some changes that would expose some information such as interests, location, and friends to places that can advertise to you. Yes, this sucks. The last thing I need is another ad for some hipster nightclub that I'd never frequent to pop up. However, if it really bugs me that much I can stop using Facebook. And guess what, Senators? So can you! And if Facebook users are not tech savvy enough as, the article states, to figure out how to set their privacy options then maybe they should not be on Facebook to begin with.