Privacy Is Dead? Not For Facebook's Executive Team

Facebook has been trying very hard to communicate to all of the internet that the new defaults are something that will benefit all of us and the internet as a whole. The founder CEO, Mark Zuckerberg does not spare any opportunity to remind us that he wants to make the world a more open place.

For a company that wants its users to open up and share everything, you'd assume that Facebook's senior executives would practice what they preach. But reality is far from that assumption.

In fact, the most laughable aspect in all of this is that Elliot Schrage, Facebook's VP Global Communications, Marketing and Public Policy, who spent a lot of time recently explaining why it is good to share to disgruntled users, has the most locked down profiles on the Facebook executive team.

Even Zuckerberg's profile itself shares very little about himself.

Below is a list of the Facebook exec list from their website, with the details about their access levels and what they share. It is rather self explanatory and it does not paint a really good picture of the company. Interestingly, for an 'open' company, you can't browse Facebook's network if you don't have a Facebook email ID.

Name Designation Sharing Level/Friending access Login Limited Access Level On Google? Notes
Mark Zuckerberg Founder & Chief Executive Officer Mark only shares some of his profile information with everyone. Yes Restricted Yes Can't access friends list
Christopher Cox VP of Product Chris only shares some of his profile information with everyone. If you know Chris, send him a message or add him as a friend. Yes Restricted Yes Can't access friends list
David Ebersman Chief Financial Officer David only shares some of his profile information with everyone. If you know David, send him a message or add him as a friend. Yes Restricted Yes
David Fischer VP of Advertising and Global Operations David only shares some of his profile information with everyone. If you know David, add him as a friend. Yes Locked down No Can't access friends list
Lori Goler VP of Human Resources and Recruiting Lori only shares some of her profile information with everyone. If you know Lori, send her a message or add her as a friend. Yes Restricted Yes Almost certainly not the right person
Jonathan Heiliger VP of Technical Operations Jonathan only shares some of his profile information with everyone. If you know Jonathan, send him a message or add him as a friend. Yes Locked Down Yes Can't access friends list
Mike Murphy VP of Global Sales Mike only shares some of his profile information with everyone. If you know Mike, send him a message or add him as a friend. Yes Restricted Yes Can't access friends list
Dan Rose VP of Partnerships and Platform Marketing Yes Open for FB Yes The most open Facebook exec. Have common friends. Could be a factor.
Sheryl Sandberg
Chief Operating Officer Sheryl only shares some of her profile information with everyone. If you know Sheryl, send her a message or add her as a friend. Yes Mostly open Yes
Chamath Palihapitiya VP of Growth, Mobile and International Chamath only shares some of his profile information with everyone. If you know Chamath, send him a message or add him as a friend. Yes Mostly open Yes
Elliot Schrage VP of Global Communications, Marketing and Public Policy Elliot only shares some of his profile information with everyone. If you know Elliot, send him a message or add him as a friend. Yes Locked Down No Most locked-down FB exec
Ted Ullyot VP and General Counsel Ted only shares some of his profile information with everyone. If you know Ted, add him as a friend. Yes Restricted No Can't access friends list
Mike Schroepfer VP of Engineering Mike only shares some of his profile information with everyone. Yes Restricted Yes

Yes, it is also a demonstration of the fact that people can keep things private if they want on Facebook. but if the future of the world is in sharing everything and the notion of privacy is dead, then why is it that there is only about one or two of the senior management team who have reasonably open profiles on Facebook?

This has always been the problem with the changes the company has brought about in the recent years – that they are quite often dishonest and misrepresent facts. As a company Facebook has every right to behave the way they want to. For a user it is a privilege to be on the platform and use it and not a right.

But, that does not mean that it is okay to do what they are doing now.

Never mind.