When FACEBOOK announced in a press release the other day that terms of use at the interactive social hub were being changed - and that content on the web site would be viewed as the property of the site providers - a thought crossed my mind.
"Oh, oh! Folks ain't gonna like that."
Curiously, over the past few days, I haven't heard a peep out of a multitude of Facebook-savvy "friends".
Have they been holding back on their "secret passionate thoughts" for fear FACEBOOK staff will squirrel 'em away for future posterity?
On the heels of that startling news - and the uproar that erupted thereafter on the blogosphere and throughout civilized parts of the known world - FACEBOOK did an about - um - face!
Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg assured concerned FACEBOOK members that the company was revising its policies this week in respect to the "Governing Document" which dictates the terms of use.
Feedback from the 170 million or so users at the trendy Internet watering hole is welcome, the pimply-faced CEO was quick to note for the record.
Some breathed a sigh of relief.
A content of a post on Zuckerberg's blog - during the throes of the controversy in recent days - disturbed die-hard fans, after all.
The chief's pollyanna attitude - "just trust us" - didn't fly with many!
But, there was a silver lining to the whole fiasco.
In the aftermath of the avalanche of protests, FACEBOOK has taken up the arduous task of zealously crafting a spirited "Bill of Rights" to facilitate the sharing of information in the future.
"We need a license in order to help share information with your friends, but we don't claim to own your information."
The way the unexpected "take over" of data came down - and was summarily abandoned by virtue of a hasty retreat - remains highly suspect to a posse of industry-insiders.
Harvard Professor Harry Lewis - who teaches in the field of Computer Science - was in accord with analysts who opined on the issue.
"People will have legitimate suspicions until they see the result."
Something tells me - no matter how the issue is ultimately resolved by FACEBOOK - that Big Brother is still watching.
Welcome to an Internet version of George Orwell's 1984.
http://www.julianayrs.com
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