Swing Away

Here’s a tip: if you’re not comfortable sharing your life details with your mom, dad, boss, coworker, neighbor, ex-boyfriend, little brother, best friend, worst enemy, future wife, North Korea, the police, internet stalker, or dog, don’t even post it on the internet (or to be even more specific, FACEBOOK).

You know why? Because even though you and I might have gone to middle school together, and you thought we were pretty good friends, that doesn’t mean that I won’t copy the picture and show it to my own mom. Because, after all, you pretty much have a classic dance face that I know she will appreciate seeing - and laughing at - just as much as I enjoyed when it first showed up in my news feed.

Was I supposed to know that you don’t want the world to see how much fun you were having last Saturday night? No, and that’s partially the problem with these new privacy settings. If you’re going to be so, so, so particular about every single little thing that you put up on your worldwide status, then you probably shouldn’t be sharing it anyway.

Facebook is giving users too much to think about with these changes. And while privacy is an extremely important issue that needs to be addressed, it’s irrelevant when it comes down to you poised with your finger above the enter key. The second you send it out there, it’s gone for the world to see - even if you only wanted a select few to see it.

Because, you know, someone out there is sharing it with their mom - and pointing. And laughing.