The Times has an interesting article summarizing a variety of research projects that use data from Facebook, and I’m predicting this will easily make their most emailed articles list by the end of the day — partly because of growing concern about privacy and Facebook, and partly because Nicholas Christakis, pictured in the article, resembles George Clooney.
Fellow blogger and Wallace 129‘er Eszter Hargittai gets mentioned in the piece, so props to her for that. I wonder how she feels about being cast in the obligatory (but important) “Wait, there are some limitations here!” role?
Privacy Schmivacy
Overall, I don’t think average Facebook users will get too riled up about scholars peering over their shoulder. Or at least not as much as they seem to be about Facebook’s ties to the global cyber economy. Academics aren’t yet famous for trying to bilk loads of money from their subjects.
Going one step further, maybe Seth Godin is right in claiming that most people don’t actually care about privacy per se — they just don’t like being surprised.
I’m guessing Facebook data would provide a way to test that…
3 comments ↓
I think it’s the difference between knowing information and putting it to use. There might also be a generational difference, as well. Facebook Beacon is a prime example. We already know many of these websites store our information, and we don’t care. But don’t announce our habits to our friends. That’s crossing a line.
Right. Shoot, don’t even remind me of my habits: I was startled when Facebook threw up a link to an article on the Times that I had just read.
Jim, I think it’s relatively rare to point out limitations and be able to back them up with goods, because you have actually addressed the issues you raise with research and have empirical evidence. I thought it was neat that some of my findings were mentioned so it wasn’t just me who got a mention, but my research as well, which - as long as portrayed relatively accurately - can be fun.
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