"Facebook looks to fix privacy and data issues"

DATE: 7/10/2010
TYPE: Newspaper article online

Reference Details:
Fowler, Geoffrey A. “Facebook looks to fix privacy and data issues”, The Wall Street Journal. 7 Oct. 2010, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/facebook-looks-to-fix-privacy-and-data-issues/story-e6frg90x-1225935375503, (accessed 7/10/10)

relevance
importance (why) : Many of the discussions in our tutorials have centred around the internet, and in particular social networking sites sch as facebook which many of us regularly contribute to. This article supports a view that is somewhat contrary to that often expressed- that facebook does work to protect its users privacy. I believe it is this opposing viewpoint that renders this article relevant.
What: Many of the discussions in our tutorials have centred around the internet, and in particular social networking sites sch as facebook which many of us regularly contribute to. This article supports a view that is somewhat contrary to that often expressed- that facebook does work to protect its users privacy. I believe it is this opposing viewpoint that renders this article relevant.
Issues (agree/disagree): I agree with many views expressed within the article. I believe that is facebook provides apps to give users the ability to apply suitable privacy to their pages, the responsibility remains with the user to implement these apps on their page.
Use in formatting argument: I would use this article to give examples of privacy settings available within facebook and the dates and chronology of their implementation. This article is also useful in giving reasons for the implementation of the apps, and highlighting different problems within facebook which they seek to rectify.

Critical Evaluation
1. Character
reliable: Yes
Source Title: "Facebook looks to fix privacy and data issues
type: Online newspaper article
writing style: emotive/informative
2. Currency
date: 7/10/10
Location: published in the United States of America, which has relatively similar internet/social networking habits to Australia
Intention: This article was intended to inform the general public, particularly social users of facebook who do not keep up to date with every new application applied to facebook, of a change to the privacy settings. This article also weighs into the debate regarding privacy and the role of third parties surrounding social networking sites.
Author intention: It was most likely the intention of the author not only to report on the changes to facebook but to give facebook some positive media attention for what he obviously sees as positive changes to the social networking site.
Source Intention: It was most likely the intention of the Wall Street Journal in publishing this article to provide its audience with information relating to technologies a majority of them would use- being popular sites such as facebook.
4. Authority
Author: Geoffrey A. Fowler
Credentials: Geoffrey A Fowler is a technology reporter for the Wall Street Journal.
Expertise: Geoffrey A. Fowler joined the Wall Street Journal in 2001. He has covered media and marketing as well as Asia, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He currently covers Internet companies and new technologies such as e-books.
reliable: yes
Publisher/Source: The Wall Street Journal
Credentials/Expertise: The Wall Street Journal is published both online and in traditional print form. It also has European and Asian editions, and its content ranges from opinion pieces, to technology to political reporting to lifestyle section. Its circulation is the largest in the United States.
reliable: Yes