all stories about suicide, adultery, drunkenness, addiction, failure, unrequited love, bad financial planning, greed, envy, impotence and incontinence begin with the words “i have this friend” which is code for “me”. but really, i have this friend.
on facebook, there’s a lot of concern about privacy. people have told me they won’t use facebook because they’re concerned enough that–regardless of the privacy settings they might place on their accounts–facebook is watching. and using their information. storing their information. sharing their information. there is even concern about potential employers asking for passwords to facebook, myspace, linkedin, and other social media accounts as a condition of employment.
remember when your cousin tagged you in a picture in the album “just another friday night in the hood”? mr. boss man will not click “like” and that’s why some states have passed social media protections so that employers are not allowed to ask for passwords. i’m sure they’ll figure out that your password is “studly” and they’re going to find this anyhow.
i live by the rule that nothing is private on facebook. of course, there isn’t a lot a just over the border of fifty years woman is doing that’s scandalous. like, okay, i get tagged in a photo from the album “woman’s board organizational meeting”.
but my friend. i was starting a story about a friend and it’s really about a friend. really. absolutely really. it’s about the words you can’t say on facebook.
on george carlin’s 1972 comedic album “class clown” he delivered a monologue about the seven dirty words — shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits.– that you can’t say on television. the monologue and its presentation on the radio (uncensored) led to the supreme court setting new limits on the federal communications commission.
so my friend has a way of expressing herself. and twice in the past week she expressed frustration over her email account not working and the second time over the olympics opening ceremony. her lexicon including “kill myself”. . . and facebook took notice. when she opened her facebook account there was a message from the team.
The Facebook Team
Julio
User Operations
Facebook
maxwell smart had a cool phone in his shoe in the 1960s series “maxwell smart”. . . but you carry surveillance equipment with you all the time. let’s face it, your phone allows the government to track your location, your spending habits, your interests, and your habits. smart? yeah, your phone is smart!
arlynnpresser 