Privacy? What Privacy?

I have this discussion frequently with my husband and my daughter, both of whom are extremely private people and who were reluctant to open Facebook accounts: What are you really giving up that you haven't already given up? My argument lies in the fact that our privacy is compromised everywhere - on the job application, doctor's office "paperwork" and other superfluous records.  However, when my husband's mother got a Facebook account, and when my daughter went off to a Pre-college program and met new peers, they both felt forced to open social networking accounts.  My husband has limited his connections to ten.  My daughter? Now in college, and under pressure from classmates, has built her connection to a couple hundred.  Concerns about privacy abound.  Me? I feel like my life is not exciting enough to warrant protecting my privacy - because if anyone wants to know anything about me, they probably could find it, privacy settings or no.

But in relinquishing our privacy rights - in feeling apathy "because they can already find anything they need to know, anyway", what are we really giving up?

My mother told me, "don't post anything on Facebook you wouldn't want me to read."  Needless to say, I feel that constant eye looking over my shoulder with every post.

If there is a breach of security on Facebook, here's what will happen:

Thieves will have access to the name, address, phone number, website and 200 photographs for an alpaca farm.

They will know I like to run.

They will know I am married, to whom I am married, and that I have a kid in college.  They will know her name.

They will know my favorite color (it's blue.)

Unfortunately, that is just about enough to steal my credit, and buy with what bad credit I have maybe a couple of Santa candle holders from Ocean State Job Lot.

They will know which way I lean politically.  They will know I am passionate about how stupid I think certain members of the other political party are.

They will know I hate cancer.  And diabetes.

They will know I "like" most of my brother Peter's posts, my daughter's artwork, my colleagues' baby pictures, my high school friends' updates.

So what? There are advantages to me spreading this kind of information "out there."  If all of my posts express positivity, then I am spreading good juju.  If I post only things my mother could technically not have any problems with, then I know I have nothing to worry about in case of a breach of privacy.

Because the real private things, I don't share.  And if I don't share them, I don't worry about privacy.

But what about today's millenium student? At the University of Richmond, a group called the Social Media Club has an active discussion forum and chat regarding social media in education.  I will have to follow this page.