I have been struggling with this blogpost for a couple of weeks now, my thoughts changing with each changing nuance of the story.
I’m not going to go into detail about the current controversy over changes and re-changes to Facebook’s privacy policy. There are plenty of better and more knowledgeable writers who can do that job for me (my personal favorite is Molly Wood’s “How Facebook Is Putting its Users Last” http://news.cnet.com/molly-rants/?categoryId=9823097&tag=rtcol;tags).
Instead I want to focus on an educator’s reaction to all of this, for as maddening these changes are, they provide a great teachable moment where we can break down the wall and talk to students about social networking frankly and un-sanctimoniously.
I’ve never really liked Facebook. I have a very small network of people I know. I check it a couple of times a day, though I seldom write anything but comments about others’ posts. I don’t play games, participate in polls, or use 70% of the additional features. I have always found Twitter or one of my blogs a better avenue for my thoughts.
I have kept a Facebook page for two reasons. First, I have enjoyed the rare occurrence of connecting with old friends. It is a great pleasure to see an invite from a fondly remembered childhood name, and there is no other site or service that has this kind of power (I do recognize that these powers have a downside…but that’s for another day). Second, as an educator I want to say that I participate in social networking so that my comments and opinions are based on experience and not second-had hysteria.
Which is why I found the Facebook changes so upsetting, I have always told teachers and students that social networking is not in itself good or evil, but a tool. Like all tools, if you know how to use it and if you follow the rules, it can improve your life. If you are negligent, sometimes your finger gets smashed. However, the essence of the Facebook privacy controversy is that they have changed the rules without the consent of the user. If a carpenter is swinging a hammer, and suddenly it becomes a chainsaw, someone is going to get hurt!
I know that several big names in tech journalism (including Leo Laporte, who I have always respected) have deleted their Facebook accounts in protest of these changes. This seems to have an effect, as there have been further updates to these changes by Facebook. With a community the size of Facebook, it does seem that the only way one can make a stand is to step out.
Which leads to my dilemma. I would like to delete my Facebook page. I don’t benefit from it very much, and though I have set my privacy appropriately, this is one of the few way that I can speak out (my one voice among 500 million!) in favor of informing people about how their information is used.
However, if I opt out, I essentially say that there is no safe way to use Facebook. To some extent I lose my voice with the vast community of students and faculty who are not going to quit (whether they should or not) by saying that this tool that you use every day shouldn’t be used. The dissonance between this message and the student’s experience doesn’t ring true.
As I analyze this stance, I recognize that we also tell students not to drink or use drugs, which contradicts the experience of many. However, our job as educators is to teach students how to use the vital tools of communication and socialization. At this point it appears that tools of social networking will play a role in this.
So we need to be in this space with them (not socializing with them, but using the same tools in our own worlds). We need to talk about how to use the tools well, and express frustration when obstacles get in the way. We also need to listen to students about their own experiences, not only to point out their mistakes, but to listen for new ideas that are being generated all around us.