Websites like Facebook and Friendster have made it easier than ever to gather information about those you barely know. Floyd, like many of us, is squeamish about using these utilities, about "cyber-stalking".
First, any time you add "cyber" to a word, it's going to have a negative connotation. Just think about it. "Hey, Jerry - I'll be back in a few hours. I'm off to do some cyber-charity." See? Sounds seedy, doesn't it? In this case, it doesn't help matters that "stalking" is on the other half of the hyphen. Assuredly, if browsing Facebook was called "cyber-curiosity-satisfying", everyone would be on board, happily clicking and reading and learning about other members of the world wide web.
Let's take a step back and examine the act in question:
1.> Person A has put his or her "information" - usually something as earth shattering as favorite music and movies - onto a website such as Facebook.
2.> Person B is searching online for information about Person A, comes across A's profile, and reads it.
Does that seem creepy to you? I'm not seeing it. No one is going through someone's garbage, no one is peeping from a behind a row of bushes. This is not the invasion of a tight community, and nothing is being hacked - it's the freaking internet. Person A has put information into the public view - ostensibly so that the public will look at their proverbial electronic cleavage.
Let's say Person B is impressed by A's big, perky profile. Would it be creepy to send A an e-mail? It would not. Person A signed up for the same reason we go out to the pub - to have fun and to put yourself "out there". The only difference is that the internet has only been around for 20 years or so, while the pub was invented on chilly April night in 1066 - coincidentally, the same year the British enjoyed the Battle of Hastings. If Person A places their e-mail address on the public record, they shouldn't be offended or weirded out when Person B uses it. If it's too inconvenient to delete one or two e-mails from an admirer, that's Person A shouldn't have enrolled in the first place.
Floyd, everyone, hear me now. This is not a big deal. In fact, if someone was interested in me and didn't bother to Google my name, I would be emotionally and intellectually offended. Use Google, use Facebook, and do your homework so you know the kind of person you're attempting to meet.
3 comments:
Yes, Dan, I've thought about these same things, that the person obviously wants me to know these things about them, otherwise they wouldn't have put them on the profile. And I too have been offended many times over by the lack of e-mails and "pokes" I haven't received from admirers.
But I can't help but feel weird about developing a crush on person based entirely on their facebook profile. I don't have a rational reason for this unease, other than an innate negative reaction to meeting a girl over the 'net. It's my current existential crisis, replacing my former existential crisis of whether my favorite animal is the panda, the rhino, or the platypus, and whether this means my parents loved me or not.
I'll show you the profile that's been causing my angst, and we can go from there.
It's funny that this conversation is taking place, because I had a similar one over dinner at Zen Zero last night. I was discussing The Facebook with a female that more-or-less agreed with Chris's opinion that we (twenty-somethings) just haven't been around this cyber-culture (even that's kindof shady sounding) as long as some of the newer generations just entering the college scene. She also said that the 'poking' thing is creepy, but just trying to get to know someone in one of your classes/met at a game/etc. isn't creepy.
Also note, she and her friend, Greg (name change) will be joining us (DN and others) later this weekend. Greg is bringing a girl whom he met on The Facebook. It will be interesting to see some results.
I just Googled Dan. Fucking weirdo:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no05/04-0871.htm
http://www.kafponline.org/epibriefs.htm (I've got some questions about influenza...)
Heather
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