Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Seattle 2.0, and imported to GeekWire as part of our acquisition of Seattle 2.0 and its archival content. For more background, see this post.

By Alyssa Royse

I’ve had an invite to RockMelt sitting in my inbox for a while now. Last night, while trying to avoid the noise of a bunch of 12 year-old girls upstairs, I decided to continue the appearance of “working” downstairs and install RockMelt. It had good buzz, seems interesting, why not?

I changed my mind within 60 seconds. 

RockMelt Permissions
The very first thing that popped up was a Facebook permissions window. I have not seen the browser yet, I know nothing about it, really. I mean sure, I watched the video on their site, but it was just a slick piece of collateral telling me how it would make my life amazing. It was good enough to make me think I could try it.

But then it wanted Facebook to grant RockMelt unmitigated access to: my personal information, to send me email, to post on my wall, to access posts in my news feed, to access my data at any time, access to my facebook chat, access to my custom friend lists, access to my profile information, my online presence, access to my photos and videos and the ability to ACCESS MY FRIENDS’ INFORMATION. All before even letting me see the browser screen.

The best analogy I can come up with is online dating. It’s like I liked the profile photo and witty description enough to agree to coffee, during the day, in public. The response I got was, “great, here’s how you get down a long country road to my place, please arrive naked, lubed and with all of your passcodes written, in Sharpie, on your thighs.”

Um, no thank you.

And, are you kidding me? I’m not saying that I’m inherently opposed to any of the above, but a little dialog and information would be nice. (Are you married? Do you have viruses? Do you have condoms? Do you know my safe word?) That’s A LOT of permission RockMelt is asking for, and they aren’t telling me how they are going to use it. How they are going to protect me (and my friends.) So, out of curiosity:

Permission to Post on My Wall.
Post what? Are you going to post my online activity on my wall? That I’m surfing porn (which I do routinely for work)? Buying books on raw food? Researching brain injuries (‘cause that could really screw the personal injury suit I’m working on for a badly broken neck.)

Permission to Access My Facebook Chat.
Why? Do you want to know which of my married friends are cheating? Who hates their boss right now? Are you (since you asked for access to my friends’ information) going to send them – or their spouse and coworkers – notifications, maybe suggestions for books on adultery or job seeking?

Access to My Custom Friend Lists.
To do what? I have grouped them so that I can cherry pick information they get, not because they all necessarily have anything in common. I certainly don’t want all of them getting information from you based on what you think it means when I label them, “squeamish” or “strictly business.”

Access my Photos and Videos. For what? Are you making calendars? Using them to lure other people down your long country road?

Access to my friends’ Information. Pardon my language, but, ARE YOU F@*#ING KIDDING ME? And, great, so if any of my friends are using RockMelt, they just gave you access to my info. Swell.

Worst first date ever.

Now, before you say something somewhat logical, like, “all of your Facebook settings will be respected in your RockMelt experience,” (which I don’t know, because you haven’t so much as said “hello” to me, or let me see your face before asking for all this,) let me laugh loudly enough that you don’t waste your breath. Facebook has proven itself categorically untrustworthy with people’s data. And capricious; their privacy settings change more frequently than Lindsay Lohan’s hair color and sobriety status.

I’m an adventurous girl. And I’m a bit geeky. I want to love you, or at least give you a good try. But you MUST tell me something about you and what you’re planning before I open myself up to you like this. Where are your manners? I just want to know something about you before I agree to all this. I want to tell you my boundaries, what I want, how I want our relationship to work. I want to know what you want to do with me. To me. And how. And who you’re going to tell about it.

I get it, you’re not like all the other browsers. But, I AM like all the other people. You have to treat me like a human, then you can do all your RockMeltyMagic and impress me. Especially since you’re marketing yourself as being all about relationships.

For perspective, dear RockMelt, I’m an over-sharer, and this is too much for me. And my safe word is “tomato.”
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Alyssa Royse routinely offers way too much information about her thoughts and feelings on her blog, and the astute could figure out her religious, political, social and even personal proclivities. But NOT what, when, where or with whom she’s doing anything. 
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