Facebook's latest 'improvements'

I do not know whether you know it, but Facebook uncovered some major changes last week during their annual f8 conference. 
Facebook opened a next chapter of ‘improvements’ this week. A number of complete new apps will allow Facebook users to enter almost everything they do into the social network — where they are, what they do, what book they're reading and what page they're on or what street they just driving through or what you currently eat (how healthy or balanced your diet is) - that is not very new but the way is different and the options to track these information - more graduated, easier to track and to observe.


The biggest modification, at least that's what I'm hearing / noticed so far, is the introduction of the TIMELINE which will replace a user’s profile with a timeline of events from ‘their Facebook history’ (status updates, photos and all the other things said and done). 
Facebook has extensively worked as a kind of recommendation engine. Up to now we could see what kind of things our direct friends like or dislike, we could read their ideas and thoughts, where they have been through their pictures and albums and which places our friends were at. The new Facebook will work to make this process even much more observable, obvious and each tiny thing more public. The ‘heart’ of the new ‘improvements’ is the redesigned profile, which Facebook calls TIMELINE. Each status update, each connection, each ‘like’, each location we check in to support Facebook learn more about you, your network and people around you. Facebook has now taken all that data and presented it in TIMELINE, which allows users to scroll back through time. Checkout the instructions by Mashable (http://mashable.com/2011/09/22/how-to-facebook-timeline/#27139Youve-Done-It) ! It's important to keep in mind that Facebook isn't showing our friends any information that they couldn't have already seen by scrolling back in our current profile view. A friend who isn't allowed to see your photos or wall posts now won't be able to see them in your forthcoming Timeline. And it's also important to keep in mind that all those pieces of information are grouped together over the years, it can paint a clearer picture you, our friends and your network. It's hard to upbraid Facebook at this point, though - These are all information we of our own accord entering and entered into the social network. We always should keep in mind what we freely like to tell others - we should consider very carefully what kind of informations we knowingly and willingly post on Facebook, Linkedin, Google+, Xing or other networks. 
For those who have posted regrettable things in the past, forgotten about them, and never deleted those posts or comments, you should be worried. It’s now incredibly easy for someone go back on your life and see what you have posted. 
The good news is that Facebook does allow users to control what is displayed on the Timeline. As users scroll back, posts can be deleted from the Timeline or from Facebook altogether.


And the second big thing is Open Graph. Another significant change is a new class of Open Graph applications that let users share what they read, watch or listen to. According to Inside Facebook, "These news feed and Ticker stories will feature new “Listened”, “Watched”, and “Read” buttons Advertisers on Facebook’s Ads API or who work with the Direct Sales team will soon have the option to target users who’ve shared through these apps or clicked these buttons, letting them reach consumers of their content that might not have Liked a related Page." (http://www.insidefacebook.com/2011/09/22/what-f8-means-for-advertisers-the-ability-to-target-users-based-on-media-consumption/). 
This feature interacts with each user's homepage that shows real-time updates. With the latest update to Facebook's Open Graph, users who interact with Facebook-integrated services like Spotify, Netflix, and games will now automatically show up in the mini-feed. That means users will no longer have to "like" something for it to appear in this feed. If you are playing a game, reading an article or listening to music it will appear in the mini-feed. 
I am really not sure whether I should like it ...
Will these automatic updates help you become closer to your connections on Facebook? 
Or will it create issues for employees who read news, articles, play games, watch tubes, presentations, recorded talks or movies or once in a while pastime things at work? 
Yes as Advertiser I can use these new features – but is this a polite way to know more about my users?

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