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Facebook vs. Myspace (pg. 31)
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| dallastar |
hey hey hey
here's an article I just read in the newspaper
| quote: | TECHNOPHILE
TheStar.com - Life - I use it to spy
I use it to spy
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Apr 03, 2007 04:30 AM
Jen Gerson
I found him on Facebook.
He's chubby now, sports a cubic zirconia in one ear and a thin beard trimmed tight around the jaw. For religious views, he writes: "SMOKE WEED EVERY DAY." Favourite books: "hahahahahahahahahaha. Who has time to read?" He says he's an exotic dancer at Chip & Dales where he works "as eye candy for money."
This is the guy who tormented me in high school.
He called me a dork. He reminded me daily of how few people liked me. He accused me of being a lesbian in biology class.
His Facebook profile has become a source of constant comfort. Whenever I feel disliked or dorky, I look at his page. His lack of success in life fills me with petty glee.
Unlike others in Generation Y, I use Facebook for more nefarious purposes than just keeping track of my acquaintances or inviting people to parties or sharing photos. I am a shameless snoop. I use it to spy and I'm not afraid to admit it.
Myspace, Facebook and now services such as Twitter are reconnecting us with every person we've met since childhood. I know where the person I hate most is working. I know who my Grade 4 choir rival is dating. I know that a high school friend with a baby is addicted to eBay.
I've looked up all of my exes.
Facebook claims more than 430,000 members in Toronto – a number that, following a Gladwellian Tipping Point, has almost doubled in the past month – it's a trend that's not likely to blow out. The Internet has made it easy to keep up and keep snooping. It's turning us – not just me – into a generation of voyeurs.
Facebook can act as a party planner, and then provide the virtual space to upload evidence of the debauchery. It allows for moment by moment updates with blog-like authority. The amount of detail on a Facebook page can be overwhelming.
"You can be a Facebook stalker," says Spencer Vaudry, 18. "It gets ridiculous."
Of course, the impulse to spy would be nothing without a cadre of bloggers, bookers and exhibitionists ready to sate the demand.
One of these is Justin Kan, 23. The San Franciscan attached a video camera to his head almost two weeks ago and has broadcast the minutia of his life in real time on Justin.tv. Initially he included his cellphone number so fans could call him, but eventually had to remove it.
"My cellphone has physically exploded because of call volume."
Kan also dealt with pranksters who called 9-1-1 on him, bringing armed officers into his home – one of the more dramatic moments of an Internet phenom that includes more mundane moments; such as Kan eating, Kan sleeping, Kan using the bathroom ...
"Why am I doing this? Because it's a lot of fun," he says. "I get to show people what it's like to live the life of Justin Kan. And people have liked it and that's a pretty good feeling."
Five hundred people watch Kan sleep.
Feeding the Internet the details of our lives is addictive. It makes every party we go to, every fight, every insight feel like they are worth publishing. It makes our lives seem grand and theatrical.
Break-ups between friends and lovers are no longer just gossip, they are sent via RSS feed to the inboxes of our followers, also known as friends.
I don't think any of us can make a clear distinction between the private and public spheres of our lives anymore. Is it okay to upload drunken photos of ourselves on the Internet if the album is private? Can we blog about our jobs if our Livejournal doesn't attach our name?
We understand anonymity and permissions and privacy settings, but know nothing about discretion.
Pundits have been warning us for years that these indiscretions will come back to haunt us; that our drunken rampages and open drug use will keep us from finding jobs; that our advertised one-night stands will scare away potential mates.
I'm less worried about this than I am about a generation that thinks nothing about putting video cameras on every street corner. I'm worried that we're making ourselves vulnerable to government and corporations who will use our indiscretion to quietly wrest our privacy from us.
Facebook makes me worried about a world in which no one needs to watch us, because we're all watching one another.
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| Krayzie-Azn |
| Facebook kuz its simple |
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| ShadoWolf |
Tis a shame, although it was inevitable.
***
Facebook is getting a facelift
Opening site to outside developers
Reuters
Friday, May 25, 2007
The social network giant announced a major makeover this week, revealing dozens of new partners to embed a dizzying array of applications -- known as widgets -- into the site from such companies as Amazon, Microsoft Corp. and Warner Bros. Records.
In a separate announcement Thursday, CBS Corp. unveiled an expansion to its CBS Interactive Audience Network, adding a slew of new partners, too.
Facebook, the sixth-most-visited Web site in the U.S., unveiled the new plan at its F8 conference in San Francisco. Among the 65 inaugural developers that will contribute widgets to the site include Amazon, which would allow Facebook users to write and exhibit book reviews directly on their profile pages along with a link to purchase the book.
Content applications already signed up for Facebook include such sites as uPlayMe and CollegeHumor, which will enable sharing and showcasing of their programs.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the overhaul as a "social operating system."
The strategy is in stark contrast to the only social network bigger than Facebook in the U.S., MySpace, which has been more guarded about allowing widgets on its site. But while MySpace's 67 million users dwarf Facebook's 24 million users, Facebook is growing faster.
In addition, CBS' CIAN is adding a batch of new partners, including Dave Networks, Goowycq Media, Meevee and VideoEgg. In addition, the network will allow existing partners to incorporate community-building applications to its content.
Among partners CBS already named to the network for syndicating content are Microsoft, CNET Networks and Joost.
"We are taking the CBS Audience Network directly to the user," CBS Interactive president Quincy Smith said. "We want to empower our audience to be creative and deepen their experience with our content by allowing them to share and embed CBS-provided clips to their blogs, wikis, widgets, community sites and whatever else gets thrown our way."
© Reuters 2007 |
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| ravr |
dallastar, great article...
That is why I have deleted my facebook account, and do not use myspace. |
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| Cosmic Fur |
| quote: | Originally posted by ravr
dallastar, great article...
That is why I have deleted my facebook account, and do not use myspace. |
*gives you a tin hat*
Here, it's to protect you from the government scanning your brain waves using satellites to find out what you are thinking. |
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| ravr |
^ Well, I think you are being shortsighted. The article in question makes several points which are great. Some government officials and employers have actually in some cases use the internet to spy on several people. In the news there has been a lot of people who have been fired because of what they wrote on Internet about their work/ their employers. In Canada and the US several students have been suspended for writing inappropriate things about their teachers/ principals... the list goes on.
Although, I can understand why some people find it so alluring(esp those that need to find other people with same interest, and built their contact lists). In this day and age, we are so consumed by work, school, and other things that it is harder to actually to meet new people. |
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| eRRaTiK |
| quote: | Originally posted by *~LiSa-LoO~*
HOW?! It's so straight forward. I can't figure out how to use MySpace for the life of me! I have no idea how to use HTML, and when I tried to use a MySpace help site thing I still couldn't figure it out...and I am quite computer savy. |
it's easy. i could help ya if needed. |
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| VERTiG0 |
| quote: | Originally posted by eRRaTiK
it's easy. i could help ya if needed. |
No it's okay. Laura (Irishaddict) has taken over MySpace for me - but even still I rarely use it.
Thanks for the offer.
-Lisa |
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| Cosmic Fur |
AHAHHAHA, I'm so sending her a message. |
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| Dr. DAS |
| quote: | Originally posted by Cosmic Fur
AHAHHAHA, I'm so sending her a message. |
I'm sure you'll be the first...:p |
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| Cosmic Fur |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dr. DAS
I'm sure you'll be the first...:p |
lol, I don't even care. |
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