It is our responsibility

The recent revelation about the Facebook data has come as a shocker to quite a few people. However, in this era we need to understand that there is no such thing as absolute privacy. Everything has been commercialised. We get unsolicited emails and messages, most of them are least related to our day to day affairs. They are either luring you into a trap or causing you unnecessary anxiety. The regulations can tighten this to a certain extent however I believe that a total reprieve is little beyond practicality. We send our CVs and other information to so many websites and we are vulnerable. The regulations are such that the onus lies on the sender of the data rather than the receiver. We have to be cautious in sharing the information with any portal. We have to include a clause that the sharing of this data for any other purpose other than the one is intended by the sender, and is liable for prosecution. This will help us have at least a significant legal standing. Our social media is open to all and people can view details about you and your company unless you take steps to prevent the same. Banks do collect information in the name of the customer and yet there is no foolproof method to ensure that the data is not being shared. The present context has blown it out of proportions because of the easy access to information. The government and the industrial houses have been prying to gather information through other means for ages.

From Mr Murugesh SS Sivam

UAE

Never expected this

Today, personal data preservation for people from popular social sites has become a question mark. This is because of the latest dramatic development from UK’s Cambridge Analytica and Facebook, who breached the confidence of millions of people as they helped the 2016 American elections. Breaching the confidence is unacceptable and now many Facebook members are withdrawing from the site. The CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, gave an apology recently and made a promise for the future, so that this never happens again. I left Facebook 15 months ago and never expected this from the company. After this incident, everyone will think twice before joining any social site, in my opinion. Privacy cannot be compromised.

From Mr K Ragavan

India

Why the sudden concern?

I don’t understand why suddenly everybody is concerned. It’s a well-known fact that they’ve been doing this for years. It’s nothing new and probably the same with every other social media platform out there.

From Mr Mohammad Abushaker

Dubai

Facebook safe? No

It’s time for some social media users to delete their accounts. Once you open an account, you control what others see about you. Limit the information you share with strangers and you won’t have issues. If you thought Facebook was a safe platform, well, now you know.

From Mr Momo Lairah Vex

UAE

Can’t get rid of it

No, if someone sells you a faulty lawnmower, do you do away with your lawn? Or a faulty window, do you raze your house to the ground? They have to fix it.

From Mr Sebastian Holiday

London

It’s our fault

I think people have always been aware of their consequences of putting information online and on social media. This scandal just confirmed everyone’s worst fears. While What Facebook did was wrong and a breach of privacy, I think it is in our hands to decide what we want to post and like. It is not that simple but if we consciously make an effort and pay attention to what we are posting and liking, such scandals will amount to nothing. I don’t know if it is time to get rid of social media but it is definitely time to be more responsible.

From Ms Jo Lamar

Sharjah

Editor’s note: Is there a debate topic that you feel strongly about? Something that you would like to see addressed in the community? Email us on readers@gulfnews.com. You can also post a comment on our Facebook page or tweet to us @GNReaders.