Firm: Facebook's shadow profiles are 'frightening' dossiers on everyone. Facebook's shadow profile data collection activities came to light Friday when the social network disclosed a bug fix. The security researchers who found the vulnerability, Packet Storm Security, say Facebook is compiling "frightening" dossiers on everyone possible, including people without Facebook accounts. Last week, Packet Storm discovered Facebook's vulnerability and contacted Facebook. After extended dialogue with Facebook the researchers were compelled to reflect that, "The issue itself was not built with malice in mind it was simply an oversight.
The significance of what it unearthed is the real problem that still remains. " Since 2012, Facebook had unintentionally combined user's shadow profiles with their Facebook profiles and shared it with those users' friends who used Facebook's Download Your Information (DYI) tool. If only Facebook had explained the bug as clearly as Packet Storm in its post Facebook: Where Your Friends Are Your Worst Enemies: "You can run, but you can't hide" Sharing vs. your privacy on Facebook.
Facebook users can hide their info from applications, but some fear not enough people know that. Facebook developers can get some users' info without permission if friend authorizes itSite keeps tabs on developers and ban any who search for more info than they needSome critics say Facebook doesn't do enough to help users with privacy settingsDeveloper says he keeps minimal details on users, doesn't see need for more (CNN) -- Facebook is, by its nature, a social experience. But as the undisputed king of social networking expands ways for its users to interact, it's raising more questions about how much of their information is made available to people they don't know.
In some cases, users may not even realize it's happening. One example is the hundreds of thousands of developers approved by Facebook to create games, quizzes and other applications. Some of those developers are able to access basic information about users after a Facebook friend has started using their application. 1. 2. 3. The Relationship Between Facebook and Privacy: It’s Really Compl. The tension between Facebook and its users — and governments, and advocacy groups — over privacy is one of the biggest thorns in the company’s side right now, as it tries to balance the demands of the network (and of advertisers) with the desires of users, and with the law. And all of this is taking place in an environment where the very meaning of what is “private” and what is “public” is being redefined, by Facebook and other online giants such as Google, and even users themselves sometimes can’t decide what information they want to share with the world and what they don’t.
Over the past few weeks, the social network has been caught at the center of a privacy maelstrom, with consumer groups attacking it — 15 of them filed a formal letter of complaint with the Federal Trade Commission late yesterday — senators sending threatening letters, and growing numbers of users canceling or deactivating their accounts over privacy concerns. And privacy? What Happens When You Deactivate Your Facebook Account. Facebook is a big part of millions and millions of peoples' lives, but what happens when you pull the plug? Last night I met a man who walked to the edge of the cliff and nearly deactivated his Facebook account.
He took a screenshot of what he saw after clicking the "deactivate my account" link on his account page - and it is pretty far-out. That man considered quitting Facebook because it was having an adverse emotional impact on him and I'll spare him and his contacts from posting the screenshot he shared with me.
I have posted below though a shot of the screen I saw when I clicked that button myself. Check it out. I bet you haven't seen this screen before, have you? Can you believe that? Apparently my wife's good friend and one of my co-workers are really going to miss me if I leave, though. Admittedly, this is also kind of funny at the same time. This is just loaded with obnoxiousness. Make Up Your Mind Facebook, Because Your Privacy Controls Are A. Since last week’s chat exploit, I’ve received further tips of Facebook ‘security bugs’.
Only each time they’ve turned out not to be bugs at all, but, well, features. With regard to the site’s privacy controls, users are clearly confused. This confusion, I suspect, is leading to over sharing, which Facebook’s critics say is intentional. More sharing equals greater monetization opportunities. As an example, a privacy quirk on Facebook appears to produce the following scenario: User A sends a friend-request to user B but they choose not to accept, at least not yet (it’s a pending request, so they haven’t declined either). However, just by issuing that request, some of user B’s activity begins showing up in user A’s Facebook News Feed under ‘Most Recent’. That’s probably OK, assuming user B knows what they are doing. In other words, while user A is being shunned, they get to see that other friend-requests are being accepted. Ouch. And, of course, user A also gets to see who those friends are.
Whose Data Is It? Facebook's Business Is Your Information - Hart. May 30, 2010|By MARK A. SHIFFRIN AND AVI SILBERSCHATZ Facebook, the online social network, has grown from being a place where users can easily click and share information with a self-selected network of friends and acquaintances to an Internet site where people increasingly find themselves sharing information with data predators.
Facebook is the leader and model for selling information. Tweaks to privacy controls, such a those announced Wednesday, don't solve the credibility problem for Facebook, which styles itself as the ultimate "friend" of its users. The controls often fail to work and few users understand them. The data we have about Facebook users suggests that they might not be aware of how their information is used, and continue to visit the site.
But there is a growing problem with Facebook's business model, far beyond the question of consumer choices on privacy. Facebook and its partners should be allowed to sell access to users of the site for targeted advertising. Mark A.