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Facebook Tracks the Status Updates and Messages You Don't Write Too

Posted by samzenpus on from the let's-have-a-look-at-what-you-have-there dept.

Jah-Wren Ryel writes "It turns out Facebook tracks the stuff that people type and then erase before hitting the post button. If you start writing a message, and then think better of it and decide not to post it, Facebook still adds it to the dossier they keep on you. From the article: 'Storing text as you type isn't uncommon on other websites. For example, if you use Gmail, your draft messages are automatically saved as you type them. Even if you close the browser without saving, you can usually find a (nearly) complete copy of the email you were typing in your Drafts folder. Facebook is using essentially the same technology here. The difference is that Google is saving your messages to help you. Facebook users don't expect their unposted thoughts to be collected, nor do they benefit from it.'"

4 of 163 comments (clear)

  1. Do they turn up in the downloads? by rvw · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Facebook has an option to download all your data. Do these texts turn up in these downloads as well? If not Facebook violates EU law.

    1. Re:Do they turn up in the downloads? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      not true. There was an article I read some time ago that showed an actual dump of a users activity used in an actual court trial. All of the partial stuff was there. It showed time stamps, every time the person hit backspace a bit and paused to think of which word, or even word ending, it was allllll there... in creepy ass detail.

    2. Re:Do they turn up in the downloads? by bmimatt · · Score: 4, Interesting

      There's a Firefox plugin called 'Firebug'. It let's you see HTTP requests and responses. You could use that to see if what you type is sent immediately to FB.

  2. Facebook? Still? by macbeth66 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Social Media was so 2013.

    Get with it, its all about meeting up with people in real-time. Awesome. You make a call, talk to a person and arrange to meet up somewhere. Say for dinner or a drink. Maybe even a hook-up.