I understand why a lot of people are upset about Facebook opting them into exposing their private lives over and over and over again. I also understand why people are upset over Facebook’s complicated privacy rules, which seem designed to confuse. I’m bothered by those things, too. But I don’t have anyone stalking me, or any crazy ex-wives, and everyone at work pretty much already knows about my political and religious views because they’ve read parts of this blog. So a lot of what people want to “keep secret” has not really been a secret for me.

Things I don’t want to share I don’t put on Facebook. Or anywhere online, for that matter. And it’s probably a smart idea for other people to treat that the same way.

Nevertheless, I’ve deleted much of my profile information. Even the well-known public stuff. And almost everything else I’ve locked down.

Not because I want to keep it private.

But because I don’t want to be an unwitting marketing tool.

Spend enough time reading Facebook’s privacy settings and great new features and you’ll discover that one of the big things they want with your personal data is the opportunity to use your testimonials to advertise products to your friends. Hit “Like” on a page, or add a page to your profile, and you are not only telling the world about what you’re interested in. You are also letting third parties use the fact that you “like” something to advertise that something to your friends. And not just on Facebook now, but also Facebook’s “partner” sites.

I don’t mind giving product recommendations. But I prefer the words I use to be my own, and the timing and place to be of my own choosing.