Facebook - Chipping away at users privacy one update at a time.

[Msterbeau]

Ever since I've been active on Facebook, users have expressed concerns over privacy and asked for better and easier controls over what information gets shared. Every time Facebook makes an update, they pay lip service to those concerns but in fact does just the opposite, making the defaults more open and making it progressively more difficult and arcane to restrict access. The latest updates are no exception. It's getting to the point where I'm contemplating closing my account altogether.

Ideally, I would like to run my own private social network, where you can log in from FB or other sites, or make your own new profile, basically allowing information to flow in but not out. I'm starting to look into how this might be possible at a low initial cost and no monthly fees for anyone. Not sure that's possible.

In the mean time, here's some info on how to deal with the changes FB implemented this week:

http://lifehacker.com/5522433/how-to-restore-your-privacy-on-facebook

Or... if you want to nuke your account, go here:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=16929680703

And here for the final nail:

https://ssl.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account

[Msterbeau]

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_to_delete_facebook_applications_and_why_you_should.php

[Oh_My_Goth]

I don't have any info that is really private on Facebook... Same with Me E-mail accounts.

I would like to know WHY anyone would put their address,phone number and place of work on that kind of stuff.. That's not very smart. You're just asking for trouble at that point.

[Hellion]

Thanks a lot for the info Marc,yeah it still kills me when people esp on Myspace post their cell numbers and addresses in statuses and bulletins,they might as well post their SSI number as well.I keep everything low key.

[FarrIL]

This is why I only add people I know on Facebook, OR people I've met. Very few times do I make an exception to that rule, and even then, I have to know them from somewhere outside Facebook. (example, I've added a person I knew from another forum, or two people I knew from Deviant Art). Everyone else is a classmate, a friend, a family member, etc.

[Eevee]

I don't believe I have too much personal info either. I don't say where I live or work (aside from just Arby's). But I can see why privacy would be an issue.

[Msterbeau]

http://www.macworld.com/article/150822/2010/04/facebook_privacy.html

[Msterbeau]

http://www.macworld.com/article/150841/2010/04/facebook_privacy.html?lsrc=rss_main

Opt-in instead of opt-out as default. I like it. It's sad that things like this have to get to the point of regulation instead of site owners doing the right thing and not trying to deceive their users.

[Msterbeau]

Yup. He pretty much doesn't care about your privacy.

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/04/report-facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-doesnt-believe-in-privacy/

[candyman]

I just realized that my facebook account has been watching me undress all this time and I never know...I feel so used now...

[Msterbeau]

And more:

http://www.macworld.com/article/151069/2010/05/facebook_chats.html

And still more:

http://www.macworld.com/article/151087/2010/05/facebook_addingapps.html

[Msterbeau]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/05/privacy-groups-complain-to-ftc-over-facebook-privacy-tweaks.ars?comments=1#comments-bar

Read the comments. If you use Firefox, someone has posted a way to kill communications from FB to external sites..

[Msterbeau]

And now they're hiring a guy to defend their shitty practices instead of fixing them. Nice.

http://www.macworld.com/article/151150/2010/05/facebook.html

[Msterbeau]

A few more articles showing how to TRY to keep your privacy locked down..

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/05/12/business/facebook-privacy.html

http://www.lintacious.com/leslie/misc/facebook-ninja-controlling-your-privacy.php

[Darkmatter]

Or... if you want to nuke your account, go here:

http://www.facebook....gid=16929680703

Nuke the accounts!Just hang out here

[Msterbeau]

Nuke the accounts!Just hang out here

I'm holding out a little longer for something like this to be released: http://joindiaspora.com/

Opensocialweb.net might be promising too.

[pomba gira]

I'm holding out a little longer for something like this to be released: http://joindiaspora.com/

Opensocialweb.net might be promising too.

Diaspora sounds good, waiting to see what they come up with! If it's halfway decent I'm there.

[Msterbeau]

Diaspora sounds good, waiting to see what they come up with! If it's halfway decent I'm there.

There may not be a "there" to go to. It's intended to be run for your own server. They plan for a hosted version too but that may cost something. It'll cost you a little no matter what but a minor fee for the security of having control of your own data makes sense to me. A lot of people won't see it that way. Hopefully it will have a way to "hook" into other services without being on them. That's in the plans in some form.

[Msterbeau]

http://lifehacker.com/5538697/how-to-quit-facebook-without-actually-quitting-facebook

[Soulrev]

People begging for privacy online is a fucking joke. Want privacy? Then un-jack your PC from the net and don't share information you don't want anyone knowing.

[Simon Bar Sinister]

open letter from the boss:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37314726/ns/technology_and_science-washington_post/?GT1=43001