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Facebook's Plan To Automatically Share Your Data

Posted by Soulskill on from the how-thoughtful dept.

Giosuele sends in this excerpt from TechCrunch: "In anticipation of a slew of new features that will be launching at f8, today Facebook announced that it was once again making changes to its privacy policy. One of the biggest changes that Facebook is making involves applications and third-party websites. We've been hearing whispers from multiple sources about these changes, and the announcement all but confirms what Facebook is planning to do. In short, it sounds like Facebook is going to be automatically opting users into a reduced form of Facebook Connect on certain third party sites — a bold change that may well unnerve users, at least at first."

8 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. Nooooo! by Island+Admin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Letting all the users of slashdot access my friends ... I see trouble in future :P

    1. Re:Nooooo! by sopssa · · Score: 4, Insightful

      As for Facebook, all this means is that I have to double check that all the info I've given them is erroneous.

      Including name? Having a fake name makes it really awkward to use Facebook with your friends and relatives and so on.

      But this is finally a thing that really made me thinking of just closing my Facebook account. Not just opt-out from the new features again and again, since they just seem to always be more and more privacy intrusive.

      This doesn't use any kind of login button but shares the data automatically to a website when you visit it, so they instantly know who you are along with other data. IP data is still anonymous enough (from the view point of website operator - they don't know who you are without going through police with a valid reason), but now the third party website owners have your name and other details without you never giving them those.

      And just wait until every website will start to require you to use this. A good path for throwing all the anonymous cowards off the net and to get everyone comment and visit websites under their real name.

  2. facebook, myspace, friendster, orkut by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't understand what is wrong with everyone on the internet. You cry about privacy but willingly give out your real-life information to these websites. Each and every one of these social networking websites exists for one purpose and that's to sell your information, your demographics to advertisers and generate revenue.

    None of these sites are altruistic establishments who seek to serve the public good guarding one's privacy. At the end of the day you're engaging in opt-in Big Brother and it's far more disturbing than the advanced police state that exists in the UK and is growing in the United States of America.

    Doesn't matter if you're using a throwaway freemail account because even then it's ridiculously easy to find one's real-life information. Just stop going there, delete your information and send their company a strongly-worded letter demanding they remove your information.

    1. Re:facebook, myspace, friendster, orkut by sopssa · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well, in this case the sharing of information to third party websites will be done automatically and you are automatically opted-in to the feature. I don't cry about privacy when I can decide when, what and how I give it out. When it happens automatically like here, then I'm sure as hell will complain about it.

  3. Re:What real life information really? by mellon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You're kidding, right? Those are the details that an identity thief needs to impersonate you. Social engineering is a well-understood art, and the people you do it to are still living in the 20th century and don't realize that everybody's birthdays and relationships are effectively public knowledge, so if you can give them that information about a person you want to impersonate, they will believe that you are that person and then give you the information you need to get the other details.

    Some institutions are starting to wise up to this, but it's hard to know which institutions you do business with are wise to this, and most people don't check, even if they are among the very small percentage of people who realize they should. Do you know what your bank's information protection policy is, what an employee has to do to get fired for violating it, and whether or not that policy is actually enforced?

  4. Subtle satire is subtle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Whoosh.

  5. Re:Quit WHINING. by pentalive · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Why is it every time Facebook gets a new idea, everyone must scramble to update their settings - why not just assume people want to keep their information private? They could even have a single new setting that acts as a default:

    When Facebook adds a new feature that shares my information in a new way:

    (a) Share my information automatically, I can stop sharing later

    (b) Do not automatically share, I can begin sharing later.

    That way those who care can keep their data private or at least not be surprised by the new way their data is being shared, and those who find that they enjoy sharing their data in new ways can always be on the cutting edge.

    Once you set your default, you can go back at your leisure and change the setting to share or to not share. Usually you will not have to do anything because the default sets the sharing the way you like it.

    Ob Disclaimer: I don't use Facebook or any of those other new-fangled things.

  6. Re:Quit WHINING. by YourExperiment · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why is it every time Facebook gets a new idea, everyone must scramble to update their settings

    Because it's far easier for the site to make money that way, and they really don't care about your privacy (although it is wise for them to maintain the facade of caring).