Facebook and Privacy

Excellent post from David Weinberger (of Cluetrain Manifesto and Everything is Miscellaneous fame) about the privacy settings in Facebook. Money quote:

Privacy is not just about information. It’s all about the defaults.

If a couple is walking down the street, engaged in deep and quiet conversation, it certainly would violate their privacy to focus listening devices on them, record their conversation, and post it on the Internet. The couple wold feel violated not only because their “information” — their conversation — was published but because they had the expectation that even though their sound waves were physically available to anyone walking on the street who cared to listen, norms prevent us from doing so. These norms are social defaults, and they are carefully calibrated to our social circumstances…..when we violate these norms, various forms of social opprobrium ensue.

Good point, well made. Read the whole post here.