Facebook privacy? What privacy?

Facebook has changed its privacy policy again and thrown privacy advocates into a craze. According to Ryan Singel, in Wired Magazine, Facebook has gone rogue. I’m not sure Facebook has gone rogue, so much as that it’s been rogue for quite a while and people are only just starting to see their privacy being chipped away over time as a problem. Interestingly, it looks like those most bothered by this are in the 35+ crowd.

From the beginning, Facebook has been expanding their control over the information and privacy of its users and only stepping back when the anger was too great to ignore. They may have started out the darling child of the web, but to many they seem more like a drunk frat boy (oversharing and lots of bad decisions). I’m as upset as the next guy, but I’ve never considered Facebook the bastion of online privacy.

Do I think the user should be in total control of where and how their information is used? Yes. Do I think Facebook has crossed the line? Yes. Of course, if we don’t want something seen by everyone, maybe we shouldn’t post it on a site that’s known for overstepping its bounds.

Update: Speaking of anger being too great to ignore, it looks like Facebook has called a meeting about their privacy policy (or lack of privacy, depending on how you view it).