Facebook Timeline - Viewpoint Of An Average User

Facebook launched it's Timeline feature here in Finland on the 22nd of December. Of course everyone got a notification to clean up Timeline from stuff you do not want other people to see. This made me go through almost all of my Facebook posts and it gave me some time think about what the launch of Timeline means and how I feel about Facebook in general. Here are a few thoughts that the launch of Timeline raised.

1. Going through my posts from three years ago made me feel like an idiot. Why on earth did I post this stupid update/link? I don't want my friends to be able to read this not to mention the new friends that I may add.


2. Timeline makes it very easy to see what I have done in the past. It is very easy to check what kind of photos or comments I have posted at one time period.


3. Facebook has a lot of data about my past. I created my account in 2008. That means Facebook has on it's servers every like, recommendation and comment I have made during the past four years. If you would ask me now would I give information of all the interaction I have had with my friends and acquaintances during the past four years to privately held company that may or may not have connections to FBI, CIA and NSA, the answer would be something along the lines of "FUCK NO"


4. Timeline made me realise that I do not understand how Facebook works. Who really understands Facebook's privacy settings or copyright policy? I do not fully understand how Twitter works either, but the basic idea is that all your tweets are public and everybody can read them. So far I have not encountered any advertising on my Twitter timeline. Added bonus is that Twitter does not ask me to tell anything about where I work, how I date, where I live or have gone to school.


5. Finally, the launch of Timeline made me realize that I really do not want a company to be in-between me and my friends. I bet it would not be too difficult to create a standalone software based on, for example, bittorrent technology that would sync activities between the members of your network. This would mean greater control over your privacy and content.

These are just a few things Facebook Timeline raised in the mind of a average user. What do you think about Timeline?

On Libya

My blog is one of those barren wastelands of internet that probably no-one ever visit. Still I would like to you tips were to find information on Libya.

The first website I have been following irregularly is LibyaFeb17. It is a website ran by the activists and the website compiles everything that is happening in the media about the events in Libya. If it ain't on this website you do not need to know it.

Secondly I'd like to promote tweeter from Iran. SaloumehZ tweets frequently and follows the events in Libya very closely. Follow her and you know what is happening at the moment in Libya.

Hope that the bloodshed end soon.