The Trouble with Facebook: Are you staying clear of Facebook yet?

[Chris]

Facebook seems to continuously have privacy issues. This time-third party Facebook apps will access private information about Facebook users and send it to Internet research companies as well advertisers. Some of the popular Facebook apps include Farmville, Texas Hold'Em Poker, and Frontierville. How much do you want to bet Facebook will continue to face privacy issues in the future?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424...36968.html
Mutt, you seem to have a problem understanding when personal information becomes private. In your Facebook privacy setting, any information about you that wish set as private means that it is now private information. Do you have such a hard time understanding that?

[calmtoe617]

Facebook is the bane of humanity. But Yahoo does the same thing. Advertisements on this website are geared towards your sex, age and region. Don't be surprised if they are doing the exact same thing.

[David]

i just cancelled my account. too much simplistic nonsense.

[Drixnot]

lol, I never had a facebook account in my real name seemed a bit stupid to me.

[Heavy_Cavalry_Sgt]

It really isn't surprising. Those apps aren't created strictly for entertainment - they are all meant to make money, and player lists are assets.

[J C]

Never had an account and don't plan on it. I do keep getting emails saying someone is searching for me on there though. Kind of funny really.

[GOZ2FAST]

I have come to the underwhelming conclusion that anytime you put your name and information on the web, somebody has access to it.

[Norma]

Facebook is one of the most dangerous websites on the internet. Whatever is put in today will be there forever. All Government Agencies, future employers, and perverts can access your account no matter what "privacy" restrictions you put in place.

[Mutt]

Personal information and private information are two different things. Many people get these confused (including the person that wrote that article). Your name is not private information. Where you live is not private information. Who your friends are is not private information.

Why is it OK to have personal information published in a phone book that anyone can see (phone books are distributed nationwide, not just locally), but if you put the same information online, it suddenly becomes "private"?


*EDIT* - My point is that you, and most other people don't understand what is personal information and what is private information. i don't put any private information out on the Internet for anyone to see. I do have personal information, to the extent that you can find in the phone book and other public records.

Also, if you read the article instead of having a knee-jerk reaction to the headline, you will see that it is not Facebook that is doing this, but many of the apps on Facebook. And the article goes on to say that this practice violates Facebook rules, and they are working on the issue.

[Prorkycake]

I think if you are that paranoid about such things, stay off the Internet. Period. Once you sign up for an account, online bank, play an online game, open a Facebook account, or do ANYTHING on the Internet, your information is out there. There is no amount of privacy settings in the world that can stop someone who wants your information. These applications on Facebook are not solely the only ones that do this. Do you ever notice your Yahoo ads are relevant to something you used Yahoo search to find? Google does it. EVERYONE does it. It may not be your name, or your phone number or your address, but if you use an Internet search engine, your preferences are sent to a third-party application that gears the ads toward whatever it is they think you'd be interested in.

If you want your information to stay private. Get off the Internet. That is the ONLY solution.