Facebook Friend List

[easysurfer]

For those using Facebook, do you prefer to show your friend list to your Facebook friends? Or do you have the list restricted to common friends?

I'm debating in my own mind what I feel most comfortable with. The debate is that for closer friends, I don't mind having the list visible. But for aquaintances, I'm not sure.

 

[inky]

You could sort your Facebook friends into lists and then set permissions based on the lists. For example, I add all acquaintances to my Restricted list. Then, on my Friends tab, I would select Custom Privacy and add Restricted to the "Hide this from these people or lists" option.

 

[donheff]

I don't restrict mine but I don't friend people I don't know in some capacity so I am not too worried about it. Some old acquaintances might want to browse my list looking for people they knew back in the day.

 

[easysurfer]

Thanks for the suggestions. I deleted my old lists and will have to play around with the newer lists of FB (aquaintances, restricted etc).

Either that or create a new list called "My Own Personal Stalkers" and work with that

 

[Sarah in SC]

I have it open to all friends, for the same reason as don.
I do use the restricted list and my default privacy excludes those folks.

 

[rescueme]

Facewhat? ...

 

[easysurfer]

Facewhat? ...

Probably the wisest choice of all

 

[easysurfer]

Okay...I updated my list and privacy settings on FB. It wasn't too painful.

My friend list is open to all "friends".

I also moved some folks to my "aquaintance" list and now they can't view my friend list, which I what I want as they are just aquaintances.

 

[Tigger]

I hide my friends as I don't want to be judged based on the kind of people I hang out with. I hang out with ALL kinds of people, but some are political extremists (I'm not) or are part of subcultures that are distrusted by the mainstream.
Knowing people doesn't mean that I agree with their choices in life, but as not everybody is capable of understanding that, I hide the list.

And I keep colleagues in a separate account, 'cause you never know what can go wrong.

 

[marko]

I hide my friends as I don't want to be judged based on the kind of people I hang out with. I hang out with ALL kinds of people, but some are political extremists (I'm not) or are part of subcultures that are distrusted by the mainstream.

Facebook freaks me out. Not that long ago, people were worried about Big Brother watching our every move. Now, we give that information away everyday.

Who your friends are, what organizations you belong to, what church you go to, what your political beliefs are, where you work, when you're going to be on vacation.

Eighty years ago, certain governments would've found such information quite, quite useful.

You can "hide" this information but a minor wrong click can then put all of that out for the world to see. A few companies will demand your FB password before they'll hire you.

I"m not a Luddite, but this particular technology is frightening. I realize that privacy is non existant at this point, but why make it easier?

 

[HFWR]

I don't advertise my politics or religion on FB. Come to think of it, I have neither...

 

[marko]

I don't advertise my politics or religion on FB. Come to think of it, I have neither...

...but your friends might. There's something known as "inferring information through the data". My old co. had developed some very interesting algorithms.

 

[Tigger]

A few companies will demand your FB password before they'll hire you.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, they can take their job and sh*ve it.

It would be interesting to know who these companies are. I bet many people would despise them for that. I wouldn't even want to work for a company that blocks access to Facebook.

I"m not a Luddite, but this particular technology is frightening. I realize that privacy is non existant at this point, but why make it easier?

You have a point there. I must say that Facebook has incredibly improved my social life and so far I haven't had any problems cause by the weaking of my privacy. Therefore, so far it has been worth it. I used to be a paranoid privacy nut, but they got me where I am now with babysteps... like the frog that is being boiled... very slowly. I can imagine a future where I would regret having handed over so much info.

 

[Sarah in SC]

marko, that is funny, reminds me of the old saying "just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't watching me".

I'm okay with my friends knowing the stuff I put out there. I'm okay with spending enough time understanding the privacy settings to ensure that what I do is exactly what I want.

And I'd have a field day inferring my politics or religion through my friends. Oh wait, is that damn HFWR going to get me busted as some kind of hippie?

Privacy is an illusion.

 

[easysurfer]

I'm satisfied putting some folks that I don't know that well (but well enough to "accept" them as a FB friend when they made the request) on my "aquaintances" list. Some I just don't know that well. Others, they seem to be the curious types and I don't want to tempt them.

Also, with FB, I always tell myself if I feels there's any hanky-panky going around, I retain the option to bounce them from my list

 

[marko]

Well, as far as I'm concerned, they can take their job and sh*ve it.

It would be interesting to know who these companies are. I bet many people would despise them for that. I wouldn't even want to work for a company that blocks access to Facebook.

They don't want your FB password to BLOCK it, they want to go in and SEE your information as a condition of employment.

If you're someone who's been out of work for 18 months or so and desperately searching, it might not be so easy to say 'take this job and sh*ve it'.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I don't think that the "employer asking for passwords" is anything other than a big media story about a couple of anecdotes. So despite the hysteria, it really doesn't exist.
And then there's this:

Come Jan. 1, you’ll be able to sue a company if a hiring manager asks for your personal Facebook password during a job interview.

That’s according to legislation Gov. Jerry Brown signed on Thursday makes it illegal for employers and colleges to demand access to social media accounts.

Brown signed Assembly Bill 1844, which was introduced in February by Assemblywoman Nora Torres, D-Pomona. The bill prohibits employers from demanding user names and passwords from employees and job applicants.

The restriction does not apply to passwords or information used on employer-issued electronic devices.

The governor also signed SB1349, introduced in March by Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco. The companion bill makes it illegal for colleges and universities to demand social media user names and passwords from students and prospective students.
From: Facebook password requests to become illegal | UTSanDiego.com

 

[marko]

I don't think that the "employer asking for passwords" is anything other than a big media story about a couple of anecdotes. So despite the hysteria, it really doesn't exist.
And then there's this:

Come Jan. 1, you’ll be able to sue a company if a hiring manager asks for your personal Facebook password during a job interview.

That’s according to legislation Gov. Jerry Brown signed on Thursday makes it illegal for employers and colleges to demand access to social media accounts.

Brown signed Assembly Bill 1844, which was introduced in February by Assemblywoman Nora Torres, D-Pomona. The bill prohibits employers from demanding user names and passwords from employees and job applicants.

The restriction does not apply to passwords or information used on employer-issued electronic devices.

The governor also signed SB1349, introduced in March by Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco. The companion bill makes it illegal for colleges and universities to demand social media user names and passwords from students and prospective students.
From: Facebook password requests to become illegal | UTSanDiego.com

Well, that would be Governor Brown to pass a law against something that "despite the hysteria doesn't exist", right?

That's nice if you live in California, but employers in the rest of the world could still be asking for passwords. My niece had to give up her FB PW in order to get a job....and, uh, they declined to make an offer after their review.

 

[HFWR]

marko, that is funny, reminds me of the old saying "just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't watching me".

I'm okay with my friends knowing the stuff I put out there. I'm okay with spending enough time understanding the privacy settings to ensure that what I do is exactly what I want.

And I'd have a field day inferring my politics or religion through my friends. Oh wait, is that damn HFWR going to get me busted as some kind of hippie?

Privacy is an illusion.

One day a couple of months ago, the Facebook "recommended pages" to the right of my news feed were: "God" (didn't know she had a FB page), followed by "Merle Haggard", and "Weeds"...

 

[Sarah in SC]

HFWR, that is awesome. I can only hope to get that kind of list--instead I get boring stuff--clearly I need to post more interesting things on my page!

marko, bummer for your niece. Sounds like she should have deleted some stuff before handing over that password! Like Tigger, I'd just say "no" to the request and save everyone the trouble.

 

[marko]

marko, bummer for your niece. Sounds like she should have deleted some stuff before handing over that password! Like Tigger, I'd just say "no" to the request and save everyone the trouble.

Well, like so many posters here, she thought she had nothing to hide/worry about. Not like she has 'exotic' tastes, friends or interests.

But it was done right there at the interview..."before we go any further...." no time for deletions.

 

[HFWR]

HFWR, that is awesome. I can only hope to get that kind of list--instead I get boring stuff--clearly I need to post more interesting things on my page!

I think it's based more on what other people post, or are interested in/looking at. I regretfully have way too many old friends who can't shut up about religion and politics...

 

[Tigger]

They don't want your FB password to BLOCK it, they want to go in and SEE your information as a condition of employment.

Yes, I understood that. Two different matters, but I wouldn't accept either.

If you're someone who's been out of work for 18 months or so and desperately searching, it might not be so easy to say 'take this job and sh*ve it'.

True.