Demonising Facebook

One of my fellow students mentioned that our blogs and conversations in NET11 were tending to demonise Facebook. Indeed, there have been little argument citing value in the social networking site, but (surprisingly) many people admitting that they are Facebook users despite the privacy issues we have been discussing.

Facebook has had two further dishonourable mentions in the news recently.

First, some students at the all-male St. Paul's College at Sydney University established an "open, public ... pro-rape anti-consent" site on Facebook. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, which broke the story on Monday 09Nov2009, the NSW Rape Crisis Centre described the site as "grooming perpetrators of sexual violence". The newspaper said that the students "proudly displayed their membership on their personal Facebook pages. Note to employers: don't forget to Google up male graduates of Sydney University over the next few years. A follow-up letter to the SMH editor criticised Facebook for "allowing these groups to indulge their sick ideas".

Then today, an item on the Channel Ten Sydney news reported that one Natalie Tomkins had been stalked by someone who got her details off her Facebook site. (The stalker had been identified and appeared in court today.) On the news, Ms. Tomkins said she had since removed all identifying information from her Facebook profile. I suggest you have a look at her Facebook site to see if you think she would like prospective employers to see this, or to consider whether she may have been inviting undesired attention. (By the way, I can't be sure this is the same Natalie Tomkins. It might be a case of mistaken identity, but I can say the image of her on Facebook resembles the person who appeared on TV tonight.)

There must be some good in Facebook. Googling terms like "worthwhile Facebook" didn't find me much - maybe this isn't a hot topic for research. But, prompted by another news item, I did find a personal Facebook page of "value". The site is that of Yoani Sanchez , who is a prominent Cuban blogger (Generation Y) who, in a parallel to the Baghdad Blogger, wrote about daily life and its frustrations living in Cuba. The news report talks about how Ms. Sanchez has been beaten up by Cuban authorities.

It's nice to discover that there are some serious (non-business) users of Facebook.