SubJeff on 14/1/2010 at 23:10
It wouldn't make you an asshole that invaded someone's privacy but it might well just make you an asshole.
Kolya on 14/1/2010 at 23:28
Quote Posted by Enchantermon
But how is it not in their rights? It sounds as if you're saying that if you put up a picture on Facebook for your friends to see and people for whom the picture was not meant see it, then they are invading your privacy.
Yes, that's what I'm saying.
If I was to keep a diary and leave it lying around my place when you come visit me, you know that doesn't mean it's for you to read. Social convention. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
And if you were to try and use the information from that diary against me, I wouldn't accept that and think: That was stupid of me to trust in basic decency of people.
When you see a couple kissing and making out in the park, you don't go there, drop your pants and start masturbating. If you're a halfway mature person you don't even ogle them. You look the other way, because these people are obviously having a private moment.
That also answers the question how you're supposed to tell what's private and what not with this crazy idea of privacy I got. Just by being a normal thinking person.
Rug Burn Junky on 14/1/2010 at 23:42
Employers always have, will, and should use any information that they have at their disposal to make an informed decision, and that includes information publicly posted on the internet.
What may change over time is the type of stuff that's deemed to be negative, as public disclosures of common, but relatively harmless unprofessional behaviour loses its stigma, but it's fucking naive to think that it's wrong of a potential employer to consider easily discovered negative information.
PigLick on 15/1/2010 at 00:16
also take more than kissing to get me to drop trou and pull the pud
Pyrian on 15/1/2010 at 00:54
Quote Posted by Enchantermon
It sounds as if you're saying that if you put up a picture on Facebook for your friends to see and people for whom the picture was not meant see it, then they are invading your privacy.
Well, yes, I would not hesitate to state exactly that, although if you're putting up photos you don't want public you shouldn't make them public in the first place, which is different. (Facebook
does have privacy settings, doesn't it?) Setting something to "friends only"
is creating an expectation of privacy, even if it's on the 'net and might very well get leaked beyond your control.
Nameless Voice on 15/1/2010 at 01:48
I guess I just don't "get" Facebook, but I don't understand why people ever make the things fully public. I do actually have a Facebook profile - which, admittedly, I never use or visit, and contains almost no information - and it's set to private, friends-only. Even people who know me can't find the thing. Which is fine by me, to be honest. But if I were to post anything there, I assume it would be private and unavailable to anyone but those listed as my friends. If I had friends.
Jackablade on 15/1/2010 at 03:34
Quote Posted by Nameless Voice
I guess I just don't "get" Facebook, but I don't understand why people ever make the things fully public.
Just about the only thing on Facebook I treat as private is sending messages. I have everything open to the public because I like to think that Facebook is a very large community. I enjoy when somebody I'm not friends with comments on or likes something I've posted. I act online exactly as I do offline, or at least I try to, and if somebody I don't know can enjoy 'knowing' me then all the better.
I don't really like when people have their profiles blocked. I understand that if you're being harassed with a public profile then by all means make it private but I mostly feel like these people are being overly paranoid. If I don't know you and I see you do something or say something stupid I will not care.
Also, like I said earlier if you don't hire me because of something you see on Facebook I probably wouldn't have enjoyed working with you anyway.
Nameless Voice on 15/1/2010 at 04:14
Quote Posted by Jackablade
Also, like I said earlier if you don't hire me because of something you see on Facebook I probably wouldn't have enjoyed working with you anyway.
I think this last line is very true.
Jackablade on 15/1/2010 at 04:24
Ah. It is a little simplistic though.
Melan on 15/1/2010 at 08:06
Quote Posted by Kolya
I could probably dig up a few pictures about anyone in this thread and put them on a webpage, outside of your reach, connecting them with your nicknames here and some juicy posts you made in the past. Now would it be your own fault, for ever putting that information online, or would that make me an asshole who just intruded on your privacy? That is the shift of responsibility I'm getting at.
I am not sure that's the most important thing here. Sure, it may happen over time, but right now, what's more relevant on the Internet is "convenient crimes", things that are technically illegal or unethical, but easy to get away under the anonymity you don't get in person. And that's really easy; anyone who has downloaded a movie (or porn, which is somehow treated as some sort of public good outside copyright laws), grabbed some MP3s or watched a Youtube video based on a commercial product without paying, has done it to some degree. Who hasn't?
We can call looking up someone on Facebook stalking or surveillance, but as long as things are just a mouse click away from you with a very low probability of discovery, it will be done. The same person who does it usually wouldn't go to your house and investigate the stuff you throw into your trash, but on the internet, he or she can do it with minimal hassle and without the public shame of snooping.
Maybe after some time passes, ethics will change so it's at least considered vulgar. Until then, people should just stop treating the Internet as a consequence-free MMORPG, unless they are playing it anonymously. :)
