Facebook Timeline a 'stalker's paradise': Mass exodus on the way?

Summary: Facebook’s new Timeline profile could lead to a mass exodus of users, as profile owners discover exactly how much of their data is now in ‘click-by-date’ layout.

Facebook’s new Timeline feature could very well be the nail in the coffin in an ever-increasing pressure of privacy matters to hit The Social Network.

Though your individual privacy settings have not changed on individual posts, statuses and photo uploads, almost every other documented addition to content is to resurface for every user who has a Facebook profile.

It’s hard to put into words without genuinely screaming, or crying out of anger and frustration. So many people rely on Facebook to communicate with long-lost friends, keep up to date with those who are geographically a great distance away, or even to conduct business.

Facebook has changed the rules and its users once again were not consulted.

To rest anger to one side for a moment:

From day zero — the day and minute we signed up to Facebook, whether it was last week or three years ago, the site has allowed us to update our lives with statuses and photos, video and other content each and every minute of the day.

Though there is the option to “view older posts” at the bottom of each person’s profile page, it was limited. It only showed so much.

But now Facebook has literally time-lined each and every status, photo, shared content, “likes” and every other interaction we have made on the site in chronological and clickable format.

It’s all good and well writing this, but now my friends can click back to a specific date in the right-hand floating menu of the timeline, and see posts I wrote three years ago.

That status posted via my BlackBerry in anger, or a comment I had long forgotten about which had caused a fight amongst my friendship group. That impulsive message that was posted, long been left behind in the depths of Facebook, now re-emerging and semi-searchable by another.

More at ZDNet.com

I have been using the timeline feature for over two weeks(Just sign up as a App dev to use it). I like it because you can have a document of your life and times. When you die all the have to do is slap a IPAD to your coffin and you don't need an Obit.

A federal judge files a restraining order against Facebook's Timeline introduction.

More here

A friend of mine got pissed off and deleted his FB account - and from that I can say - it works! All his old posts, even if they were part of another conversation, were deleted. His account was gone completely.

But... he later regretted it and re-activated the account. And surprise! All his stuff was still there! Everything magically re-appeared.

Timeline sure is an amazing stalker feature, as is the little "live feed" on the right.

But ... old posts that you "regret" - you can just go back and delete those. So a reason to be angry - nah.

I don't think anything is really deleted on these social networks like Facebook. Whatever was deleted really just goes into a Deleted/Trash-bin folder where the data can be retrieved from if needed and allowed. And of course we all know a hard drive can be wiped clean and with the right software the data can be recovered. So, whatever a person posts, he/she should plan on that data being around for a long time....mabye just living in a Deleted folder....maybe long after you wish you had never posted it...and long after you think you deleted it.

I don't think anything is really deleted on these social networks like Facebook. Whatever was deleted really just goes into a Deleted/Trash-bin folder where the data can be retrieved from if needed and allowed. And of course we all know a hard drive can be wiped clean and with the right software the data can be recovered. So, whatever a person posts, he/she should plan on that data being around for a long time....mabye just living in a Deleted folder....maybe long after you wish you had never posted it...and long after you think you deleted it.

One of the many dangers in using FaceBook,

just like the Big Brother System,you are never truly out of it's clutches

Far too late to envisage a mass exodus now.

Millions are totally addicted to it and it rules their lives-even myself as a member I'm surprised how often I click it open.

Bit like tv that way, you can leave but not really

Bit like tv that way, you can leave but not really

Yes just like the "Hotel California" You can check out anytime,but you can never leave.

Far too late to envisage a mass exodus now.

Millions are totally addicted to it and it rules their lives-even myself as a member I'm surprised how often I click it open.

people said the same about myspace before FB came along...