Walk into a pub and everyone knows your name, your favourite drink and the name of your best friend.
Does that make you feel ...
(a) Popular and Cool
(b) Exposed ad Scared ?
I read on www.avc.com that
...Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr, saying that early on they made an important decision when each photo uploaded to Flickr "defaulted to public". The ensuing interaction around the photos gave life to the service and helped it become what it is today.
Personally, I bet that for every user who supports public openness, there is one who prefers privacy. Or maybe something in between. When it comes to sharing, a whole lot of factors go into a person's preference and decision. What am I sharing? Who will see it? What can they do with it? Why should I share? Can I show A but not B? What if I change my mind?
Not everyone on a Social Network intends to be totally, openly, social with everyone. Not everyone is out there to make friends with strangers. Some - dare I say many? - just want to use the convenience of the platform to connect with friends and families only.
It is a challenge to cater for everyone's comfort zones. It's my belief that:
- The more users can control their privacy setting, the more likely they will stay loyal and even expand their comfort zone.
- Social Networks that encourage openness while supporting privacy will become the people's choice.
So, what kind of Social Networker are you?
