Editor,
I read the Daily Lobo's article Wednesday about CIRT blocking access to Facebook.com from the UNM network. I would like to say that CIRT's argument against Facebook has to be the worst argument I've heard in a long while.
CIRT worries that students who use Facebook are required to use their UNM net ID to register with Facebook, and additionally they express concern that this could lead to identity theft and stalking.
Facebook may not have extreme levels of security, but they do look out for the students registered on the directory. By making students use their school e-mail accounts to register, Facebook ensures that all of the students in the directory actually attend or have attended college.
During the registration process, Facebook allows you to choose any password and recommends it should not be your school password. Facebook also provides three levels of interaction with other people. Students can choose to have their information available to everyone, only people at their school, or only to their friends. And not just anyone can be your friend on Facebook. Students request to be friends with other people, and requests must be confirmed by the second party before the two are listed as friends. If students don't want a particular person to see their personal information, they are not required to list them as a friend. Students can also delete people from their list of friends.
CIRT also claims Facebook sends out unsolicited e-mail to students, faculty and staff. Facebook members only receive an e-mail when another member has added them as a friend or when someone has changed their personal page. As a student with two Facebook accounts at two different schools - I am a student from Tulane University - I have never received any e-mail from Facebook other than those two form letters.
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Recently Facebook released a statement, not just to students from UNM, but to every Facebook participant, regarding fake e-mail:
"We have received many reports of virus and spam e-mails disguised as crush messages or requests for people's Facebook e-mail and password. If you click on the links in these spam e-mails, your computer could become infected or you and your friends could become the target of spam messages. So basically, if you see any sketchy e-mails, don't click on any of the links."
Every Facebook e-mail follows the same consistent form, and it would be pretty easy to distinguish a fake e-mail from a real one. By keeping tabs on suspicious behavior and passing any information along, Facebook continues to build a positive reputation with its users.
CIRT needs to recognize that the students who use Facebook do so with the best intentions and are aware of their actions. Facebook users are not naive people posting information just to get it stolen. Everything, except for a school e-mail address, is given voluntarily. People can use fictitious names, choose not to post a picture or choose not to let anyone see their profile. Facebook itself, just like the phone book, is a voluntary directory.
If CIRT or UNM has legal concerns with the UNM Facebook entity, they need to communicate with UNM Facebook in a legal manner, not act out their aggression against students.
Avram Penner
UNM student
