Wishing facebook wasn't so damned useful

I'm writing this today after reading a blog posted by a friend on facebook titled "Five Things to Know about the new Facebook". This was after I'd woken up, showered, powered up my computer, read my emails, perused the facebook timeline, checked my progress in my current favourite facebook game, and then eaten breakfast.

Facebook's crept up on me. It's become more significant ... without me noticing how much of my life now revolves around it. I even have one friendship I value highly with a person I've only actually met once - based on our interactions through facebook. I'm not on facebook all hours of the day, but it's certainly become more than just a way of keeping up with friends.

So when I read Sharon Vaknin's blog this morning about the changes to facebook, I felt a distinct disquiet.

Why? Well, the changes to our profiles are what concern me most. I quote from Vaknin's article:

Your profile begins with a large photo at the top. Below that is your general information, a status update box, and then a timeline of your activities. You'll see photos of you, status updates, life events (like a new job), and activity from any apps you're using (like Nike+, FarmVille, or Foodspotting.) Unlike the previous interface, your friends will now be able to look back on your past activity, all the way to the moment you joined Facebook.

I don't like the thought that thoughts I've had in the past - perhaps some years ago, now! - can be found by someone and may be taken as indicative of my current beliefs. I don't like the fact that information from apps I'm using will be displayed. Yes, I understand that I can change the privacy settings of apps so "Only Me" will see my activity; and I understand that, as Viknin says, I can go back and delete any old comments. But should I have to?

I particularly feel for friends who have posted comments, pictures or video while drunk or otherwise, shall we say, "incapacitated". What seems fun and even status-enhancing at 17 or 18 becomes embarrassing and potentially damaging just a few years later.

Am I a Luddite? Perhaps. Or perhaps I simply object to the fact that a medium I assumed had an element of time-boundedness turns out, instead, to have a more eternal quality.

I'm certainly going to be even more cautious about what I post on facebook, going to keep an eagle eye on my privacy settings, and make sure I'm kept up to date with these and other changes.