Survey: 60 Percent of Facebook Members Consider Deleting Their Accounts

First, several bloggers posted animations of the changing privacy situation at Facebook. Second, a Fortune Magazine blog post disputed the backlash notion. I guess that somebody has to be contrary and highlight the opposite position.

Third, there are the findings from a SOPHOS survey of 1,588 Facebook members. When asked via an online poll if they think that they would quit Facebook due to privacy concerns:

• 30% said it is highly likely they would quit
• 30% said they would possibly quit
• 16% said they already quit
• 12% said it's not likely they would quit
• 12% said flat out that they wouldn't quit

Add up those numbers however you choose. 30% would consider themselves likely to quit is not a good statistics for any business. Combine "highly likely" and "possibly" and you arrive at the 60% statistic mentioned in the blog post. Combine "highly likely" and 'already quit" and you get 42% -- no small number to ignore either.

And, it is difficult to effectively set the privacy options on your Facebook account.

Most people I have talked with have no idea how to do it. I guess that is why usage of the Reclaim Privacy site has taken off. The site offers an open-source browser-based mechanism that Facebook members can use to inspect the privacy settings of Facebook account. If you want to learn more, Mashable provides a good review of the Reclaim Privacy site.

I guess that is why Facebook is rushing to develop an easy to use privacy mechanism. If you have tried to effectively modify your Facebook account settings so only you friends can see your personal data, then you know what I am talking about. It's like (sorry for the bad pun) the Wack-a-Mole arcade game. I counted at least four different pages you have to view, and some of them are downright difficult to use. And any privacy settings you change today, Facebook can undo later whenever its executives decide to change the Facebook privacy policy (again).

I fully expect the backlash to continue to grown.

Comments

[Devremülk]

i like to read your posts. thanks for this one.