The Wall Street Journal delivers the skinny on tomorrow’s meeting of great minds, noting that the agenda contains a discussion about the new changes coming to Facebook and a segment dedicated to answering user questions about Facebook etiquette.  The first part deserves a big “meh.”  Not that the changes aren’t welcome…just that I really don’t see how productive or insightful (or even lengthy) a discussion on that topic can be on the Oprah show.  But then again, she is a talented woman. 

The second part, however, just makes my skin tingle with excitement.  Now, I would never claim to have the expertise of Oprah on the matter, or even the site’s founder, Zuckerberg, but I think the topic of Facebook etiquette deserves a little face time.

I’d like to suggest three premises at which all Facebook users should begin.  First off, it’s important to note that Facebook etiquette rules are not the same as those of Twitter, and certainly not the same as those of MySpace, Youtube, FriendFeed, or any of the other numerous social networking and media sites.  Second, you should know that the rules aren’t set in stone.  In fact, they evolve just as frequently as Facebook receives updates and facelifts, if not more frequently.  Third, if you try to hard to fit in, you’re going to stick out.  Facebook is fun, so don’t make it a tedious task of imitating those you consider to be popular users.  Facebook is a wave, and it’s better to enjoy the ride than to swim against it.  

I’ll be taking some time later to detail more etiquette principles for Facebook, but here’s one:

1. Do not be a creeper!

It’s acceptable to “creep” someone’s photos, wall posts, videos and notes, meaning keeping tabs on others without them knowing.  Really, it’s fine.  College folks joke about creeping all the time…it’s accepted.  It is something else entirely to leave little creepy (note: creepy is different than creeping) notes on people’s statuses, send friend requests to the friends of someone you’re creeping, poke people that aren’t your friends, and generally make it aware that you are actively maintaining a greater interest in someone than they are taking in you.  There’s creeping, and then there are creepers.  Get it straight.

Anyone else have Facebook rules of etiquette to share?

Related post: So Your Parents Found You On Facebook, Now What?

If you haven’t heard, Facebook updated its terms-of-service so that all user-generated content, be they photos, videos, links or annoying graffiti art, essentially belong to Facebook, not the creators.  Certainly, in theory it sounds ominous and invasive.  But at the nuts and bolts, it really isn’t in much different from the norm, whether we’re talking Facebook or any other social media or networking site.  

Aaron Brazell over at Technosailer.com concedes, “This is fundamentally not all that out of sorts from what most services do when licensing user content,” but then goes on to state that he’ll be advising others to abstain from uploading content to Facebook, perhaps only excluding links.  That sort of play-it-safe attitude might suffice, but it seems counterintuitive to the ideals and goals that many of us in the social media world share.  

The real question I think we should take time to answer before storming the castle with pitchforks and torches is this:  what does it change?  If Facebook is just now putting to paper what has been largely accepted by everyone until now, what’s all the hulabaloo for?  

Let’s say that Facebook used user content in the past without having the express rights written into the terms of service (which I’m sure has happened).  If the user in question wanted to fight it, they could take it to litigation, and they’d certainly have a case.  But I haven’t heard much from upset users bemoaning abuse of their content.  And the only reason we’re hearing anything now is because it seems like a huge privacy issue, when in fact it isn’t. 

Facebook is nailing up a loose end that could have been the source of endless grief, and one that could have been exploited by a savvy user looking to make a buck off the social networking behemoth.  Twitter user @Nazgul makes a very good point in saying, “@geechee_girl Just wonder if wasn’t issue of ‘How do we keep from having to pull an ad just because it shows screenshot of a deleted user.’”  I would add, how do we keep from getting sued when the odd situation arises in which a user objects to having his or her content used?  Express terms in contracts save a lot of time and money.

The way I see it, if you want to use Facebook, you need to know up front that Facebook could use your content.  But I’d venture a guess that most folks aren’t reading the terms of service as it is.  It’s only the social media and internet privacy people sounding the warning siren.  

And while it’s our responsibility to make it unequivocally clear what will and won’t fly to the less-than-visionary Zuckerberg, I don’t think this is one of those battles that needs to be fought.  Furthermore, what kind of job would we be doing by discouraging people from uploading their content to Facebook?  Are we really saying, “Yes, Facebook is the biggest and most-used social network, and you should definitely participate in the interests of advancing social media and your own brand/image…but scrapbook your photos and have get-togethers in your homes to share your video content instead of uploading it.”  

We talk about clouding and cross-network integration, and how amazing it could be if we just got the support of the general public behind it.  I use my Blackberry to update my favorite social networks all at once, and  I’m not going to stop doing so simply because Facebook did what any good business would do and put pen to paper to protect itself.  And I certainly won’t be advising anyone to hole up in a bunker socially just because Facebook’s looking out for numero uno.