bruns+blog+analysis

TO: Proximity Social Networking Team FROM: Amanda G. Bruns SUBJECT: Wall Street Journal blog on Web 2.0 Suicide Machine DATE: Jan 5, 2010

We were asked to review and summarize a blog post to assist us in preparing for Proximity's winter survey. Below is my analysis of a WSJ blog that announced Facebook blocking an application called "Web 2.0 Suicide Machine" which allows users of Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Linkedin to delete their profiles. I advise us to include questions on the winter survey to conclude whether TU students are using this service for any of the above mentioned social networks.


 * What Web 2.0 Suicide Machine Provides**

The Web 2.0 Suicide Machine is a site that allows users of social networks to delete their profiles completely in a an efficient manner. The Suicide Machine allows users to click on a "commit" button in order to "kill" their connections in the social network by deleting friends, updates and content, and even pictures. The Suicide Machine prompts users for their account information, deletes the profile information, changes the initial password, and leaves the profile inaccessible.

The service the Suicide Machine offers is free, and attracts users with uncertain phrases such as "do you want your actual life back," " feel free like a real bird again and untwitter yourself,"and “delete all your energy sucking social-networking profiles."


 * Why Facebook Is Responding**

Facebook claims that it has blocked the Suicide Machine's IP address because the program collects log in information and scrapes Facebook pages, thereby violating the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities of the network. Suicide Machine states that it is currently looking for ways to "circumvent this ungrounded restriction imposed on our service."

What really motivates this conflict, however, is control over demographic data that can be mined by advertisers. Facebook's terms of agreement supposedly gives it sole ownership of the information users post to their accounts. User's who give Suicide Machine //carte blanche// to delete their social networking accounts are thus giving that program access to an extremely valuable commodity.


 * Questions To Ask TU Social Network Users**

In addition to determining which social networks are most popular among TU students, we need to find out their thoughts on the Suicide Machine. The social networking section of the winter Proximity survey should include questions such as the following.


 * Do you feel that Facebook, Myspace and other social networks take up too much of your vital time?
 * Have you ever considered deleting your social networking profiles?
 * Would you use the Web 2.0 Suicide Machine to delete your social networking accounts?

Proximity clients need answers to these questions to understand how the spread of "suicide machines" are impacting the social networking sites.

__Reference__ LaVallee, Andrew.(2010 January 4) "Social Network Suicide? Not If Facebook Can Help It." //Wall Street Journal.// Retrieved 2010 January 4. []