Is it true that Facebook applications are stealing private information from our computers?

[Jonathan]

I love to play farmville but i read a news article that is now saying Facebook apps like farmville are taking your private information from your computer and showing it to ton's of other sites, company's ect. Is this true? Should I stop playing farmville?

[Ron M]

Yes, it's all over the news today. Many many facebook apps are garnering your personal info and either giving it or selling it to all over the place. This is just one of the many reasons I do not have a facebook account.

[MLM]

It's not stealing the information from your actual computer, only the information you provide on Facebook which includes email addresses, personal information, contacts, etc. Below is from PCWorld

"In the latest episode of the gang that couldn't get privacy straight, it was revealed by the Wall Street Journal that many of Facebook's popular applications were unintentionally transmitting the names of the social network's members and, in some cases, their friends' names to dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies."

[Issa]

Privacy is just a perception these days - sad, but true. If you don't want any 'big brother' messing around with your private info, you can either get savvy with your Facebook privacy settings or simply don't put in a lot of details about yourself that makes it easy for you to become the next victim of identity theft.