notes on facebook

Facebook is helping to alter our idea of privacy, according to this article from The Nation. I found this piece to be very interesting, and just a little scary. Perhaps we have become less discerning over who knows the previously private aspects of our lives, and how much they should know. The article suggests there are overwhelming pressures to become a part of the new culture: one of weakened inhibitions, and lowered guards. We are asked to open up and reveal as many things about ourselves as possible, and to an ever growing network of "friends". The article also suggests this is, in part at least, for business purposes. Companies need information to determine exactly what the people demand. So, they encourage this new culture of information dissemination, and use it to tailor their marketing to our supposed needs.