Public opinion mobilised online
One thing about the social web is that news, bad press and contrary opinions can fly round the world and gain momentum extremely fast, as many companies have found to their cost. It’s especially relevant if you’re actually a social media company. Facebook recently changed their terms of service and stated that all content posted to the site by individuals could remain online when the account was closed. In other words, there might be no way to control your own personal content or remove it at a later date. This was picked up immediately and circulated via Twitter, blogs and forum posting. I’m not the only person who vowed never to use Facebook again because of this clear breach of privacy.
Earlier today, the blogs (including Techcrunch) began reporting that Facebook has (at least temporarily) backed down: Facebook Backtracks Under Community Pressure, Goes Back To Old ToS (For Now). I won’t cheer until we find out what that “temporarily” means.
The other campaign mobilising opinion on the social web at the moment is the protest against New Zealand’s new law. As The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/feb/17/internet-newzealand reported, among others, The lights are going out all over Twitter. Black squares are replacing colourful personal icons all over Twitter and other social network sites as part of a protest against New Zealand government proposals for internet regulation. Liz and Helen’s Twitter avatars will be blacked out until the 23rd February along with others all over the world.
More information about the new law and its implications for New Zealanders (and anyone else in the world if our own governments decide to follow suit) is at http://www.geekzone.co.nz/juha/6247
As Stephen Fry posted “It may not bring the NZ gov to their senses. But can it hurt for them to learn of our outrage?”
Originally published on reachfurther.com