Two Marquette University educators are going public about privacy on Facebook . The social networking site has privacy settings which allow only certain people to view one's profile which may include information and pictures. Sarah Bonewits Feldner, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies , surveyed how MU students interpret these control options.
"There is a big difference between a person who says only my friends, but I have 455 friends, can see this versus someone who can't see anything," says Feldner.
Among the 600 respondents, the average person had 255 friends with some as high as 500.
Fellow Assistant Communication Studies Professor Scott D'Urso says as these types of websites become more common, people's habits are evolving and users becoming more aware of their privacy, or lack thereof, on Facebook.
But it's difficult to stop other from saying negative things about your or posting your picture on their profile. D'Urso says combat that with caution by being very careful about your public behavior, as well as what you do online.
The two held colloquium on the topic Thursday afternoon at Marquette.