Comments on: Scoble, Facebook & Plaxo: It’s a matter of trust. And fear.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:54:09 +0000

I know what you mean. I felt a little funny about posting a message on this board myself. A lot of people feel they way you do…not because they’re afraid but just cautious.

By: Danielle ENG240 Strayer

Danielle ENG240 Strayer — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:51:08 +0000

ENG 240
September 12, 2009
Wk 10 think and learn

Until this article I had never heard about Plaxo. But that’s probably not saying much since these other social networking sites like myspace, twitter and facebook have literally sprung up overnight. My take on the entire trust/fear thing is you have to do whatever is comfortable to you. I have a myspace page that I never use because it was too involved and complicated, not because I was afraid to use it. I use a social networking site from my old university and I catch up with old friends I haven’t seen in forever and I recently started a facebook page. Most of the sites have security features. The problem is they really secure or are they just telling us that?
If Plaxo is able to essentially hijack our personal information, that would definitely be a cause for concern, however; it goes back to your comfort level. Don’t include any information that you don’t want made public. Truth be told, our information is subject to takeover simply because we have regular mail, e-mail, bank accounts and the like. We just have to be diligent about what type of information we make available and monitor things like our credit scores.

By: ENG240 SP

ENG240 SP — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:14:34 +0000

I’m not a memeber of facebook. I know it’s popular, but honestly I haven’t had time to sign up. Reading this article makes me feel as if by replying to this message I’m a victim of my data being exploited to those that don’t know me. I guess the privacy act doesn’t apply to these websites. I don’t know why they’ll be using our data, but if I were any of you I’ll be protecting my accounts for fraud, identity theft and everything else because the world we live in only cares about itself. I guess thats another reason why I don’t get involve in worldly affairs, my focus leans more towards where I’m going.

By: geoff brewer

geoff brewer — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:22:50 +0000

I believe our information is out there is someone really wants to get it. We should just be very careful on how much of ourselves we expose. Don’t offer up more to be used with whats already out in those data basis.

By: A.R. Brown

A.R. Brown — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:20:45 +0000

Hi Judi,

A very interesting subject. This is very new to me. I am not a member of any social network although I have heard the names of the ones mentioned in several of the blogs. My son has a myspace account and I am quite sure he understands all the comments that have been made regarding PLAXO.

This is my view on this issue. We live in a day now where technology has moved into our homes and creeped into our bedrooms, home offices, and corner areas. We did not ask for it…however; we enjoy the benefits of all this microwave information – Mapquests, enclopedias and libraries online..etc… We want all the benefits of information and yet now–our private thoughts, social behaviors, and yes people who we associate with can be known to the world in a matter of minutes.

This is very scary and dangerous. The one thing that I find so dangerous is not just knowing who are friends are and the information that we so freely share…This information can be collected through an online order, interest made on a website and other methods. Is the ability to place someone’s name in a cellphone or computer for people search and find their phone number and where they live. THAT TO ME IS DANGEROUS. This should not happen. While riding in the car my son used his cellphone to look up a person’s address and then mapquest the direction. I did not know you could do that. SCARY!

By: C. Douglas

C. Douglas — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 01:19:24 +0000

Dear Judi,
I think that your opinion and arguments are well stated. It is scary to think that a company you trusted would take advantage of your information without your permission. I understand your point that you gave them all this information about yourself thinking that it was a data only website and they have broken your trust in that respect.
That being said, I think that it’s basically pointless to fear Plaxo. What needs to be feared is the awesome power that is the INTERNET. If you have a computer that is linked to the internet then your information is already out there. Any hacker worth his salt can get into your system and find out just about everything about you. I have always gone under the assumption that what I am posting online could end up anywhere. You read all the time about people losing their jobs because of their Facebook profiles. I have even read of teenagers killing themselves because of Myspace postings. It’s tragic, but at the same time I wonder to myself where did all this naivety come from?
You can get most peoples names, addresses and telephone numbers from the very website that I pay my state car taxes on in my state. All you need to know is the first and last name of the person you are looking for. You can go to anywho.com and type in a name, get the person’s phone number and then you can get directions to their house! Don’t think that as a mom this prospect did not scare me to death. Imagine a child predator calling a number and asking for an adult and a child who does not know any better saying my mom or dad isn’t home. It would be no problem for the pervert to then get directions straight to the residence already knowing there is no adult presence to fear. Most of us have caught at least one episode of To Catch a Predator on MSN. I think your trust and fear issues with Plaxco are justified, but I think it’s a little naive to think your info isn’t already out there if someone wanted to have it. However I agree with your basic point. I’m scared too and it’s not just because someone might find out my phone number or where I work. I’m more afraid for my children and other’s children. After all I can change my number, get a new job and I could even sell my house and move. One thing is certain I could not replace one of my children! There need to be more laws governing certain aspects of the internet and we as citizens of this virtual world definitely need to be ever vigilant of guarding what, if anything, we can of our online privacy.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts,
C. Douglas

By: Christy

Christy — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:48:29 +0000

After reading this article I was in shock. I cannot believe a site can get my information and data from me accepting a friend on Facebook. I have both Facebook and MySpace. I choose my friends very carefully I only accept those that I know or went to school with. But there is still a possibility that I may be on Plaxo, from just accepting these friends. This scares me a lot that by accepting these friends on these sites Plaxo can get my personal information. Information that I did not give them consent to have. Although the information I have on my sites is not that personal. I do not have my phone number or address. But, I do have my email and that to me is enough information to have. I do not want just anyone to have my email address. I do not understand how this can be legal. I did sign up for Facebook and MySpace, but I did not sign up for Plaxo.

It is scary that Plaxo may know my phone number, email address, and even where I work. When they were just about the data that was okay then they changed their game. Now they are not just about data they are about relationships. I know I am not the only person who does not want their personal information floating around cyber space unless you put it there. How is it even legal for them to get your information without your consent? It is not fair they are using your friends to build your social graph. I agree having this information is one thing, but graphing it and building a company from it is appalling. How can a company say they have ethics if they are using information they did not get consent to use. I am extremely appalled that a company can do this.

By: astran williams

astran williams — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:43:18 +0000

agree, they were just doing their job, and hopefully if he didn't do the script thing, then he can have his account back. maybe he would have learned some type of lesson by this though.

By: Astran Williams

Astran Williams — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:40:39 +0000

Well, all I have to say is that is the main reason why I never decided to get a facebook or even myspace account period. You go online world wide and you have a chance to tell whoever you want to everything about you. Now I understand you are supposed to invite people to your page that are supposed to be your friends, but now days you just can't be trustworthy to nobody.
If you were using facebook for what they accused you of then you were very wrong because even though these people are still giving out their information online, you and them still were supposed to be having a friend relationship where you were trusting each other with your information.
The world can be so cold these days, but you have to be so careful.

By: Benjamin Anin-Mensah

Benjamin Anin-Mensah — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:28:04 +0000

Yes, this is true that Facebook would be held accountable if it had not done anything. Whether or not Scoble had evil intentions, we must never forget that once we sign on whether under our real info or a pseudonym – we are subject to others finding out our contact information at the least.