Project: 365 – Privacy and Social Media

[Photo I took at a park close to where I live in Nevada]

Last year, before Christmas … this happened: (if you haven’t read that blog … please, do so now) …

“Online Privacy and Fake Memories” [http://snapshotsandproject365.blogspot.com/2014/12/online-privacy-and-fake-memories.html]

To keep this introduction rather short, that blog was about a friend (“Li”) discovering that a friend of hers was lying. It started as a lie about Li’s friend being sick and culminated with the discovery of multiple accounts used to perpetuate the scam.

A picture was shared on one of the “fake” profiles and was supposed to be that of three children in obviously around 1976-1980 (given the birthdates of the people connected). One of the problems was that the photo was apparently stolen from a parent’s blog. I later found another picture of those same three kids, however posing with their parents (I am assuming). And, the kids were in those same clothes from the kids of “long ago”. That information is at the bottom of that blog.

It was that “photo stealing” incident that made me realize that sharing even a seemingly innocent picture online can soon become someone else’s memories, as the previous blog talks about. It can become someone else’s story, history, and life.

It makes people (like me) hesitant to share those precious memories – even if it’s a visit at a theme park that millions visit. I know for certain I wouldn’t want people using pictures of my family (or myself) to represent their “fake” family or themselves. I wouldn’t want someone else sharing my “great vacation” as theirs.

Sorry, but I find that just CREEPY! I wonder if someone else is using my pictures and I’m their daughter, wife, sister … or them. Yes, you can almost scare yourself into insomnia.

As a result of the incident in December, I concluded 2014’s “Project: 365”on Twitter on December 31^st. And, I am a bit concerned about sharing “2015” on there. Even sharing my NASCAR photos or Bellagio Conservatory photos is “iffy” – especially considering that some don’t feel that it is a “big issue”.

As far as “personal” photos (me, my family, or people I’m with …) – I’m extremely leery, if not terrified to share them on Twitter where there are only two options for tweets:

PUBLIC

PROTECTED

While people might say “protect your tweets”, that doesn’t sit well with some potential followers, even famous people. Some have openly expressed the fact they feel that by asking to follow someone it’s an audition of sorts and one stated “why be private if you’re going to be online”. They feel you have something to hide. That is something I’ll address in another blog …

Anyway …

I started the 2015 edition of “Project: 365” on Facebook where I have greater control and privacy settings. Despite all the fun people want to poke at Facebook, it allows greater privacy for photos and posts – and that is something I am looking for.

I have created lists of people I “allow” to view my photos and certain posts. I can select just family, close friends, or everyone. I can mix and match per post or album. That is a better control than what Twitter gives me. I can have my connections without losing my privacy.

In light of all this stuff, I’d like to suggest that Twitter get on that bandwagon – and fast. Let us create lists of followers we want to broadcast to while still maintaining a public profile.

While each social network wants to be different – sometimes it isn’t always possible. Nor is it a good idea.

For right now, I’m going to take a “one day at a time” approach when it comes to sharing photos on Twitter. I might only post “non-descript” photos such as a movie DVD, ticket stub, flower, etc … and skip days with “personal” photos. I’m still undecided, however, I will continue to “watermark” my photos though. And, it is something I highly recommend.

The reason I started “water-marking” photos was because of a friend who shared a picture I’d taken before asking me if it was okay to do so. Memes and those images, I get sharing without permission – especially when they’re shared by public accounts or companies for that purpose.

This particular photo in question was one I’d taken of something I’d seen at a grocery store. It was one of my own photos – my own intellectual property, after all since I photographed it – I owned the copyright to it.

The photo was shared before I even got home – without asking permission, without a comment, without attribution to me. This friend went and shared it. They never apologized, but I have since taken corrective actions to ensure it doesn’t happen again. And, that is why I prefer Facebook when sharing photos – I have those privacy options to choose from.

I am leery about continuing to share my work. It’s not that I don’t want to share, but I want to do so responsibly and safely. I also want to keep my work as mine.

I also don’t want to be on a flask for someone else’s monetary gain either.

And, I’d recommend reading another blog here (where that is mentioned):

“Social Media and Intellectual Property Theft” [http://snapshotsandproject365.blogspot.com/2015/01/social-media-and-intellectual-property.html]