Well Darn, You're Right About Facebook and Our Privacy Being Gone.

If I were in charge of the world, here's what I would do:

I would keep this site, Mamapedia, private, just as it's always been (or so we assumed). I would also run a Facebook page called Mamapedia. On that Facebook page, I'd let people ask questions, post cartoons, write blog posts, give parenting advice. But I'd NEVER "borrow" a question from this site and use it on Facebook. But I would tell people on the Facebook site that there's a great website where they can ask sensitive questions and get wonderful insights and advice from other parents. In other words, I'd use the Facebook site to encourage people to come to this site, with complete security and safety.

I really don't think the two should be mixed, except for informing people that the two exist. No more posting questions from here on Facebook. That just seems cheap, and it seems as though it would be very misleading to people who are asking real questions here.

If people want to ask questions on the Facebook page, let them. But this site should be for people who may not want their questions on Facebook, and they should have assurance that their questions will stay here.

Either that, or change the whole format. Just make this a place to post blogs, or opinions, or essays, or cartoons. Share the two as much as you like. It won't be about the "wisdom of moms", of course, and you'll lose everyone who is seriously trying to provide answers to parenting questions. Your sites (this one and the Facebook one which you have intertwined) will be filled with nonsense, with silly sayings ("I'll have a mocha venti vodka to go, please"). It will be a free place to write essays, for people who don't want to get their own blog spot, and it will lose everything that you've worked hard to establish here. Oh, there will be plenty of "my baby is 1 week old and I found her tap dancing on top of the fridge, is that normal?" and "my child cut her arm off with a saw. Do you think I should call a doctor or should I just see how she is in the morning?". You'll lose all the insightful, truthful, helpful, thought-provoking moms and dads who are really trying to help. Of course, we don't always agree on here, and that's ok. Most of the answers to real questions are offered in the best spirit. We're free to take advice, or to decline advice.

That's my two cents. I sincerely hope that this site will be private and that no questions will be "borrowed" to drive the Facebook site. The administrators of this site should be more respectful than that.

Jake when you figure out what the problem is, will you let us know? Nobody wants their MMP info linked to FB.

okay, so far the only things i've found with my real name FB account attached is on blog posts, which i knew would be posted on FB. i haven't found anything to which i've responded in this Q&A section that has crossed my MP account with my FB one.

will be watching the unfolding info and examination procedure with keen interest.
khairete
S.

Hi George,

Thanks for posting and sharing your concerns. Could you provide a link to your answer on mamapedia that you see on facebook? That would be helpful in resolving this problem and helping us identify it.

You can post it in directly in your post or the 'so what happened area' so others from the site can help us research and verify this issue exists.

Thanks you!

- Jake

Please, take a deep breath and go do your own searching.
When I looked at the MPFb page, I saw very edited questions -- which were familiar--and answers which were not. It is commonly the case that if you post on the blog, your FB pic will appear next to the post. That has ALWAYS happened; blogs post with your real name on MP.
In short, to the Chicken Littles, the sky is not falling. Watch out for those acorns!

Well, the Mamapedia staff and certain members who are "experts" on computers have said that this is not at all possible. I posted the original question and have had a number of personal emails from the technical people who assert this is technically just not something that can happen. You can change your name (as I think you have, based on your profile looking very familiar to us regulars) but I don't know if you really need to worry. It's very possible that, while you didn't post something to your FB wall (as I have been told many times that I must have done - but I absolutely did not), you may have commented on a blog somewhere and clicked (or failed to unclick) the "post to Facebook" box. That's all I can figure out. For now, you're going to get a bunch of responses that tell you what you did and how you don't understand anything about computers. That's what happened to me. Not too much that's actually kind or supportive, mind you, but lots of assertions about how I don't know anything and they know everything! Maybe they do. Sigh.

I agree with Suz and had a good reply from Jake.

He assured me that my responses to questions posted here would not be linked to facebook in any way. That makes sense to me.

And I did scan through the Facebook site and didn't see my answers posted any where there (to a question I did answer on here). So that's good.

The only thing that I have noticed (and is slightly bothersome) is that on the Mamapedia Voices (on Home page) blogs, my facebook profile picture does appear there next to where I can leave a comment if I wish too. I still don't think that is linked to my profile here.

I have seen that on other sites and it may just be how Facebook connects with sites like this.

Anyhow, not as worrisome as I first thought but I will follow this issue. Thanks for the updates.

ETA: From Julie's recent post, she and B explained this is a cross connection with Facebook but shouldn't be showing up on my feed or wall unless I allow it. Good to know (why my Profile pic from FB shows next to comments on the Blog feature here).

If you know how to delete your account, please share! No one has ever done it. I don't ever set my screen name to my Facebook or any other identifying feature. Mine is linked to email. I don't think blocking would fix it, but I don't know. Certainly couldn't hurt. Very upsetting though.