Facebook users - Read this?

[Matt]

This isn't a question, just clearing up a few things as people seem to be panicking about Facebook at the moment.

First: Fan Check is NOT a virus
To infect your pc with a virus it would actually have to install something directly onto your system.

Due to Facebook privacy settings no application has access to your entire friends list. If something could access & infect this list it would be instantaneous, not over a period of days.

Whoever is sending this 'virus threat' around Facebook is someone with a gripe against Fan Check. No application can do anything more annoying than bother you with notifications.


Second:

Facebook users have been posting questions about how they are struggling to login at the moment, how they are seeing old status updates, how chat isn't working properly etc.

This is all due to server maintenance - apparently Facebook are upgrading server software so there is a time lag between things showing on your profile. Chat is struggling as it is a real-time application.

There is no virus going around Facebook infecting your friends list.

No Facebook application can infect your computer, you are perfectly safe as long as you don't let it install anything on your pc. Facebook are extremely strict with app developers, anything slightly suspect does not get through. I know this as I am a Facebook app developer.

Facebook is probably the safest social networking site going, miles safer than Myspace that let third party remote websites fill your profile with flashing & sparkly rubbish.

If you have any specific worries or questions, just email me i'll be happy to help.