MIPOTW: Sixth

The Most Interesting Phrase of the Week for 022109 was delivered to my radar via an alert from Super FaceBook Guy upon loading my feed this week…

More than 175 million people use Facebook. If it were a country, it would be the sixth most populated country in the world. Our terms aren’t just a document that protect our rights; it’s the governing document for how the service is used by everyone across the world.

…thus introducing a hasty retreat by FB honchos after a recent change to their terms of service bootlegged ownership of any photos, etc posted on the site.  Yep, a coup d’etat was narrowly averted.

A couple of thoughts (actually 3):  1) Super FaceBook Guy has really earned his super hero cape this week, since I’m sure all 175 million received the same alert; 2) 175 million!  I mean [!].  This ain’t no measly Gotham, Super FaceBook Guy; 3) Is there anyone out there who actually assumes that when you post something online, it remains yours and yours alone forever and always, and nobody but who you say can see it or use it?  The only way to keep it totally yours is to put it in one of those nice photo boxes or albums and lock it up in your house and throw away the key.  And then, it’s really only yours for about 70 years or so at most.  It’s a small world after all.