In Facebook, veritas

Veritas.  Truth.  And then there is facebook.

We all know the Latin phrase, in vino veritas or in wine, there is truth.  There is nothing like a couple glasses of wine to loosen the tongue and reveal real feelings.  This holiday season, I discovered, in facebook, veritas.

It amazes me to read the fb posts of the people who have declared themselves to be my friend on facebook.  I wonder if they think about the people reading their status updates when they post them.  One of my favorite things about reading facebook statuses, especially from young people (and by young people, I mean people younger than me, so that is most of the people on fb) is the obvious disregard for their privacy and then the fury resulting from other people knowing what they posted on fb.

Please enjoy this example.  I noticed an invitation being passed around on fb for a holiday party.  I'm guessing the people hosting the party were too lazy to send individual invitations.  Instead they tagged a few of their friends in the status update mentioning the party.  Here is a news flash.  EVERYONE (of your friends, or even friends of friends, even EVERYONE, depending on your privacy setting) can see your fb status.  Even the people (friends) you don't want to invite to your party.  Oh yeah, AND, when you respond to a fb invitation to a party, EVERYONE can see where you are going to be at a certain date and time.  And, Oh Yeah, if the party invitee THEN tells someone else they will attend their party instead of the party first accepted and then blow off the first accepted party EVERYONE knows this, as well.  Let the fb fury begin.  It's high school all over again.

Please understand this is not the end of the trouble truth in fb can cause.  When the party goers are at the party, NOTHING is more fun than taking pictures.  Oh yes, the pictures.  And what good are pictures if you can't post them on fb for EVERYONE to see.  The pictures are taken, posted and tagged quicker than you can say "Bob's your uncle."  Please remember, I'm a woman of a certain age, and yet, I know what happens on the internet.  These pictures are there forever.  And, btw, that facebook status you posted calling someone a "sociopath" and then get nervous about the posting and delete it.  Have you never heard of SCREEN SHOT?  There are no secrets on the internet.  Once it's on fb or your blog or Google+, whatever, it is there forever.  Whether you like it or not.

Truth, whether you want to tell it or hear it or read it, is on facebook.  Oh Emily Post, where are you?  There is a desperate need for an etiquette app for our iPhones.  Or, maybe, Mr. Zuckerberg, we can add a privacy alert for stupid postings.  Just a thought.