Farcebook Timeline and the Facebook Generation
I’ve spent 20% of my life* as a member of Facebook, and now Facebook has opened up that entire period as easily browsable (and filterable). This is either a massive affront to our personal privacy, or an incredible step forward into the great unknown of the collective consciousness as it arises out of the collective unconsciousness that has been snowballing in size and ‘currentness’ ever since large numbers of us started using the internet.
Never mind the big brotherness of it: this is visually great and an amazing sign of things to come.
Also, the (personally private) activity log is great for reminiscing over the past that facebook has gathered about you.
As for an affront to privacy. This could be one of the best lessons in privacy humanity has ever had, and probably the least dangerous one we’ll get for, oh, I’d say about 12 months. Now is our chance to get with the programme. And strangely, the big faceless corporations are giving us our opportunity: they’re just blindly pushing out the technology with only a dim awareness of the significance. As intelligent individuals we’d do well to keep ourselves and our friends up with what’s going on, before the big lumbering forces of society realise what they’ve unleashed and really start taking advantage of it.
Remember: Facebook only knows what you and your friends tell it about yourself. Be smart, and make sure you get better value out of the corporations than they do out of you!
*Quiz question: what is the age of the facebook users who have been members for the greatest percentage of their lives? I’m guessing it’s people who joined around 2005 aged around 18-20ish: so, 23-26 year olds.
