Facebook Chat, Windows Live Messenger (MSN) and the Privacy Debate

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Facebook Chat, Windows Live Messenger (MSN) and the Privacy Debate

The Truth Is Out There (in Cyberspace) by SoftwareGuru There is a colourful article (rant with expletives) over at respected IT site TechCrunch which makes the point that in relation to privacy, people are "delusional about how the internet works". Essentially the writer argues that online privacy is a myth and explains that... "If all it takes to break a privacy system is for one of your friends to copy and repost your “private” photos or tweets then they’re not private at all." "The only true privacy is not to post anything on a social network that you wouldn’t want the world to see." Social networking addicts would do well to use this advice. Last week's revelation that any Facebook user could view their friend's live chat window prompted the service to shut down while updates were made. Getting to grips with new online software can be fun and exciting to use but it's never a wise decision to keep less tools in your toolbox. Microsoft have been developing software for a long time and know a thing or two about privacy as well as meeting consumer expectations.
	New Messenger Most users still refer to it by its former name, MSN. Now a part of the Windows Live brand, it is simply known as Messenger. Microsoft will soon release the latest edition of Messenger which promises great new ways to connect and share. Outlook 2010 integrates social media updates from the likes of LinkedIn, MySpace and Facebook so it makes sense that the new Messenger will do likewise. One of the most useful new features is tabbed conversations. You can manage all your chats in one location so you can juggle multiple conversations in one place rather than having multiple windows popping up. It's amazing that it has taken so long to add this feature but then again it is still light years ahead of Facebook Chat in terms of functionality and privacy so we really shouldn't grumble! If you follow the link above to the official new Messenger page you can watch videos of these features in action.
Confusion vs Clarity Facebook privacy is an increasingly confusing issue that even IT critics are trying to get to grips with and understand. As with any online experience, trust and confidence lie at the heart of this debate. Although Messenger features a banner ad at the bottom of its expanded window, Microsoft is not trying to directly monetise your personal information via Messenger or Outlook 2010. The same cannot be said of Facebook. The new Messenger may integrate Bing features but selling ads on the back of search engine results is an accepted business model. Google's success as well as failures like Buzz illustrate what users will accept in terms of their data being used to generate targeted advertising. For students, it's worth a reminder that nothing you share on a social network is ever truly private. That fact alone makes the extra layers of security through the use of Messenger and Microsoft Outlook 2010 invaluable. Students and eligible family members can buy Outlook 2010 as part of Microsoft Office Pro Plus 2010 which is available to download now. Click on the following link to visit our Microsoft Outlook 2010 software package offers.

Facebook Chat, Windows Live Messenger (MSN) and the Privacy Debate

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