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It isn't odd, at all. It's great to see someone treat their child's privacy with some value, instead of using them as a way to endear themselves to virtual fri
by pstack 13y ago
It isn't odd, at all.
It's great to see someone treat their child's privacy with some value, instead of using them as a way to endear themselves to virtual friends or get laughs and votes on reddit, while putting photos and information out there about their kid, without the kid's permission, that will be there forever. The rest of us had the opportunity to come to the internet in a time when someone wasn't putting our information out there.
Reserving accounts at places on their behalf, as well as domains, is also a smart choice. It isn't placing importance on anything. It is simply giving their child the option to have these things in the future. Hopefully, facebook won't exist when this kid grows up. But there's a chance it might. And if it does, then this kid doesn't have to compete with someone else taking the name. More importantly, it prevents someone else from pretending to be you.
I have to do this with my name, too. I have an account on Facebook, though I despise it. Same with the other big social networks and other things I don't use. I have been on the receiving end of someone who was upset with me (one a user I banned from my site after defrauding other users) and did things like make an account under my name and put awful stuff out there as "me". That would be more difficult to do if I'd already staked my claim to that identity (even if I didn't use it).
What these parents are doing is simply investing in retaining the tools with which their child will someday be able to safeguard their privacy and - if necessary - build their professional or other identity. It's worthwhile, today. It'll be even more worthwhile in the future.
Really, I fail to see how anyone can have any problem with this.
- roc 13y agoI don't have a problem with an attempt at privacy. I grok that: I have no social networking accounts, nor does my wife, nor is an electronic record of any child of mine tagged, tracked and overshared online. What I don't get is the disconnect between their claim that oversharing is bad and privacy is good, but their actions that underscore a belief that Facebook is really, really important.
- gnaffle 13y agoI don't really get the problem. While they have their priorities, Facebook IS important for many people, and might very well be in the future, so making sure to register the right usernames etc. in case is the right thing to do. Just like it's the right thing to do to register domain names if you start a company, regardless of whether you have an immediate intention of launching a website.
- tokenizer 13y agoI think you're right. They're still in the baby boomer - brand is everything - mindset. At least she'll have a website where she can post her conference schedules and ebooks. But seriously, anyone who thinks facebook will be important 10 years from now doesn't know anyone aged 14 to 18. Many articles like this are popping up: http://business.time.com/2013/03/08/is-facebook-losing-its-cool-some-teens-think-so/ http://business.time.com/2013/03/08/is-facebook-losing-its-c... I don't think parents can truly understand that their kids don't want to be on the same "network" as some of them. P.S. - Doesn't apply to the flock, just the shepherds. The flock will follow when they feel it's necessary.
- pstack 13y agoI think the emphasis on Facebook is simply because that is what readers are familiar with, currently. Of course they will have to be aware of and active in protecting identities on other future networks, platforms, and services, too. At least, that is how I interpreted the references to "Facebook" every five words.
- scott_s 13y agoThey want it to be her choice.
- munificent 13y ago> It's great to see someone treat their child's privacy with some value, instead of using them as a way to endear themselves to virtual friends I don't know about you, but I use social networks to share photos with my real friends. Why would I want virtual friends?
- pstack 13y agoCongratulations, but your exception does not disprove my observed generalization. People are, unfortunately, not usually as discreet as you state you are.
- dsizzle 13y agoWith regard to Facebook (what the article focused on), the right generalization seems to be that virtual social networks do, in fact, largely reflect actual social networks https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-data-team/anatomy-of-facebook/10150388519243859 https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-data-team/anatomy-of... The article struck me as paranoid, but I agree with your assessment that the authors' reserving their kids' digital real estate is not contradictory with the authors' concern -- it leaves the choice up to the child.