Tannouri+Blog+Analysis


 * TO:** Proximity Social Networking Team
 * FROM:** Andy Tannouri
 * SUBJECT:** Wall Street Journal Blog Post on Web 2.0 Suicide Machine
 * DATE:** Jan 04, 2010

Below, I discus s an article posted on the Wall Street Journal blog about the Web 2.0 Suicide Machine, a website that helps users erase their presence from Web 2.0 social networking sites. On the winter survey, we should ask if social networking plays too large a role in students' lives and if students see the need for such a service.


 * What Web 2.0 Suicide Machine Provides**

Web 2.0 Suicide Machine offers overwhelmed users of social networking sites a quick and efficient means to end their online presence. The free website incites visitors with words such as “delete all your energy sucking social-networking profiles,” “feel free like a real bird again and untwitter yourself” and “you want your actual life back?”

Web 2.0 Suicide Machine prompts users for their social network login information to help "commit suicide in social networks." Web 2.0 Suicide Machine then accesses the user's account, deletes all friends, wipes the profile, and changes the password prohibiting the user future access. Currently, Web 2.0 Suicide Machine supports Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Web 2.0 Suicide Machine cites two purposes for its service. First, it claims Facebook and other social networking sites hold information on their servers indefinitely, regardless of any account removal options such sites may offer. Second, Web 2.0 Suicide Machine's service saves time. On its website, it claims to wipe a 1,000 friend facebook account in 52 minutes, as opposed to 9 hours and 35 minutes to do the same thing manually.


 * Resistance to Such a Service**

Facebook has blocked Web 2.0 Suicide Machine's IP address from accessing it's servers. It cites the following issues with Web 2.0 Suicide Machine's operation:


 * __Redundancy__ - Facebook and other social networking sites already have built-in features to deactivate user accounts once a user no longer wishes to have a profile.
 * __Security Risk__ - As a third party, Web 2.0 Suicide Machine's collection of user login information allowing it access to users' personal information poses a security risk.
 * __Policy Violation__ - The collection of such information is a violation of Facebook's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities.

These issues cast into doubt the service's legitimacy and safety. Users should be aware of these issues before considering Web 2.0 Suicide Machine's service or a similar service.


 * Questions to Task TU Social Networking Users**

We should ask basic questions evaluating TU students' use of social networking. In addition, we should ask these specific questions on the social networking portion of the fall Proximity survey:


 * Is social networking overstepping its use as a communication tool and becoming a problem?
 * Do you spend too much time on social networking sites?
 * Would you value a service that offers to remove your online presence from social networking sites?
 * Does sharing personal and login information with a third-party website cause you concern?

Users of social networking sites can better understand how the sites have affected modern communication, as well as whether or not it has pervaded culture past the point of benefit.

__Reference__

LaVallee, A. (2010, January 4) Social Network Suicide? Not if Facebook can help it. //Wall Street Journal.// Retrieved Jan. 4, 2010, from http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/01/04/social-network-suicide-not-if-facebook-can-help-it/