[Air-l] Facebook protests

['Gail Taylor]

Amanda Lenhart raised concerns related to 'stalkerish' behaviors that are being exhibited through the introduction of the mini-feeds into the software. These feeds are sharing information that is automatically built into a history file that records member actions, such as logging into the software or performing other functions such as adding a new friend. This information is always visible to the user.  Transparency is controlled by understandings of computer processes in networked environments. 

No one has raised concerns relating to the fact that Facebook members have pre-existing accounts. These accounts are activated when someone chooses to join Facebook. At the time of joining the group, members become shareholders by buying into the design of the product and services being offered. As someone else pointed out, members who are protesting the change in practice are exhibiting behaviors of shareholders who have a vested interest in the product. In the business world, these actions might result in changes in practice including the decision to take the product off the market. This would be a great case study for consultants and faculty who are using a case study approach to teaching students about scenario planning in the context of technology adoption processes.

/Gail

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Gail D. Taylor, M.Ed.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Human Resource Education Ph.D. Student
Educational Psychology Teaching Assistant

"We can't just have mainstream behavior
on television in a free society. We have
to make sure we see the whole panorama 
of human behavior." -- Jerry Springer