Saturday, February 21, 2009

Perfect Profile...

Camera Critters
"Perfect Profile" is this week's "Camera Critters" post. If you want to participate, click on the image above.



After another busy week, I didn't get to make the blogging rounds all that much... however, I was sent some posts regarding Facebook and the latest trick that they tried to pull!

You probably have all read about it yourself, but for those who don't know what I'm refering to... well, Facebook changed their terms of service (TOS) without notifying any of it's existing users. This presented a number of issues that any user - or potential user - should and did question. The first of which, in order to change the terms, they are required to contact all existing users and notify them of the change. A user must then agree to the new TOS. They failed to do this.

The second and extremely alarming issue in my opinion, was that the new TOS gave ownership of all your uploaded information over to Facebook... FOREVER!! The original terms outlined that you could terminate your account and that the license would automatically expire - with an acknowledgement that the "Company may retain archived copies of your User Content." This section of the TOS was deleted.

The craziest part, once again in my opinion, was that they would have a license to "use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising". How is that right!? I know that to publish a photograph taken at an event for example, you need written permission from all citizens who are visible in the shot. Without that, you can not use the image. So, tell me Facebook, how could you assume to think that you have this right!? While I accept that anything I upload to the internet can turn up in other places, I could not accept that a corporation worth billions could use my image in this way!

The issue has since been resolved, firstly with the founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg making statements that it was all innocent and the TOS was only amended to protect them; followed by a return to the old TOS.

With that on my mind this week, I was considering changing my Facebook profile picture to one of my cats. Whist I was still reluctant to use an image I thought was "valuable" and give Facebook a chance to use it for their own gain, I was thinking of this one of Jonesy - which is my Camera Critter post for the week. With the old TOS now in place, I know the situation is a little different, but I'm still considering taking my image off my Facebook profile.

What do you think? Do you think this is the "perfect profile"? And are you on Facebook - if so, I'd love to hear what you use as your profile photo... your gorgeous mug? a cute critter?


Click on the image for a larger version.

For anyone interested in reading more about Facebook, here are some links to posts that I read:
1. Facebook's New Terms Of Service: "We Can Do Anything We Want With Your Content. Forever." by By Chris Walters - Feb 15 2009
2. With friends like these ... by Tom Hodgkinson - Feb 29 2008.

The second post is a great article regarding the sociological experiment that is Facebook.

15 comments:

  1. They could use your cat too, in a very convinced way! Don't play with the C.I.A. ! Hahaha!... :-) Manz, Manz... My sweet sis...! Is good that they've changed that stupid T.O.S. after all... About your cat... If her tale is black too then, sure is my cat! :-) Tricky thing. Bye, life!

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  2. Hi there.. love that cat. Is he a gray? I have one too -glad you stopped by too. Well, I think it's beyond cheezy (facebook). I feel a bit uncomfortable with my mug up there but hey..not to say I wouldn't? I have a pic of well..our volcano for now. It's good they reverted back. I had signed on but never did anything with it so far?

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  3. Your cat is beautiful. I totally missed the whole Facebook TOS thing. I'm not sure how because I sign in just about every day. Thanks for the info.

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  4. I love this black and white or grayscale. Beautiful. The way he is watching you with that eye is funny too.

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  5. Very elegant image. I am so glad facebook had to back down and I was one of those who campaigned.

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  6. Interesting information on facebook, gorgeous cat!

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  7. I will be very annoyed if Facebook decides to implement that rule after all. Your cat is sweet but it's not YOUR face. I get really irked when I connect with someone I went to HS with and their profile pic is their kids or their dog or a beach scene or something. It's FACEbook! Well, like I said, your cat's cute, but if it comes to that, I am destined to be irked by non-face photos!

    Tink *~*~*
    NEW at My Mobile Adventures *~*~* :
    Of Mice and Mutts - Disney’s Flower and Garden Festival

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  8. I love the picture, because your cat reminds me of my cat I had when I was growing up.

    I'm on Facebook, and my profile pic varies... I have a couple of me, and some of my dogs... cows... whatever. ;-)

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  9. Very nice catprofile.
    I'm not on Facebook but on Hyves, which is kind of the same thing. Used a photo of one of our pigs for a while. But nobody noticed the difference ;-) So now I use one of our dogs.

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  10. That's a very nice photograph of your cat!

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  11. I love this photo

    I can't stand Facebook, I never go there anymore

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  12. Love all the comments!! Quite a range of opinions regarding facebook. I've retained my mug as my profile for the moment. I'm still debating what to do and if I should change it.... hummm....

    Thanks everyone.

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