Scared of Facebook
Posted in Internet, Social Media, Technology by Armando Alves on October 25, 2007I swear i wasn’t aware of this video before posting my latest question on Facebook: “Why aren’t we questioning Facebook about privacy issues (specially after the Microsoft ad funding) ?“.
That’s scary.
Source: Cpluv/todaynow
It’s scary but it also has advertisers salivating at the possibilities:
http://tinyurl.com/2yp7br
I don’t know about you, but LinkedIn knows a lot more sensitive information about me than Facebook.
So what, they (fb) know what music I like to hear (so does last.fm and everyone who subscribes my lifestream), they know what movies I like watch… and?
That works in my advantage. If I don’t get advertisements about stuff I don’t like, I’m fine with them using that. Just like I don’t mind receiving emails from Amazon with suggestions that suit my tastes.
The scary part is not that they have the data.. is what people are putting in there. If you’re documenting your entire life, home addresses, phone numbers, etc., then the problem is YOU not them.
Those words on the terms of service? You would get scared if you read the terms of all services. That’s lawyers talk, to prevent legal action.
Please, if you’re leaving facebook, be coherent and leave ALL social networks: hi5, linkedin, myspace, last.fm, etc. They all have “sensitive” information on their db’s.
(comment crossposted along some blogs)
[...] Armando Alves posts a link to a YouTube video, describing the way in which Facebook stores a lot of personal information. Of course, the video fails to point out that you don’t have to enter the details, nor, for that matter do you have to tell the truth! When I originally signed up to Facebook, I entered an incorrect date of birth; as I didn’t realise that it could be hidden. Once I realised I could hide it, I was able to reset the day/ month correctly, but had to get Facebook to re-set the year. I’ve not added such things as home address, though I have added educational information - which has allowed two old school friends to find me (as well as a University classmate, though I couldn’t actually remember who he was). I don’t think that such scaremongering videos are particularly useful. Much better to educate people to be cautious with data. [...]