Facebook

[webfact]

Well, I came across an article in the Los Angeles Times regarding Facebook and Privacy

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg

One part of the article scares me most -

"Users still don't know why or whether Facebook keeps all their content on file without their explicit permission. Not just messages, but "photos, text, link, audio, video, designs, ads and anything else that you post on or through the Facebook Service."

What's your opinion?

- Maybe the Mods will move my topic to the "General" section but I hope it will remain here. Thanks

[Guest Reimar]

Could stay here.

What scares you has as background the same you gave to Thaivisa while sign up:

When a message is placed in any forum on thaivisa, you are granting a soft license to Thaivisa.com to use it.

It's up to the owner of the site you gave that soft license too, what he's doing with the contents in question.

Scare? It could only scares you you if: you posted information which were not true; or you posted information which are protected by law; or you posted information for which you had need an permit but have; or you posted information which were violating some copyright and and and! And the same applies for movies and pictures.

You also should keep in mind that, if you post personal data and/or informations which could be used for any negative action against you or the other parties, some of the infos you publish can have a boomerang effect!

And that should scares you and you alone, I mean the person who has posted that infos!

Cheers.

[MeetJohnDoe]

Well, I came across an article in the Los Angeles Times regarding Facebook and Privacy

One part of the article scares me most -

"Users still don't know why or whether Facebook keeps all their content on file without their explicit permission. Not just messages, but "photos, text, link, audio, video, designs, ads and anything else that you post on or through the Facebook Service."

What's your opinion?

I don't have one as I have never been to Facebook (My Space, or any other of the "social networking" sites). From what I can gather, they all seem to me a complete waste of time (and I waste enough of that at the Thai Visa Forum).

[malcolmswaine]

I never understand why people are so obsessed with their own privacy. I mean, really, what difference does it make if facebook or some other social networking medium retains your account details forever. Are you planning on leaving the planet without a trace at any time soon?

Just another excuse for sad people to find something else to obsess about if you ask me, probably while not being kept awake worried by the fact their household cleaner only kills 99% of all known germs under the rim of their toilet! Someone who spends time worrying about stuff like this should really get out more.

Just a general comment, not aimed at anyone - and no offense intended.

[cloudbusting]

I never understand why people are so obsessed with their own privacy. I mean, really, what difference does it make if facebook or some other social networking medium retains your account details forever. Are you planning on leaving the planet without a trace at any time soon?

Just another excuse for sad people to find something else to obsess about if you ask me, probably while not being kept awake worried by the fact their household cleaner only kills 99% of all known germs under the rim of their toilet! Someone who spends time worrying about stuff like this should really get out more.

Just a general comment, not aimed at anyone - and no offense intended.

spot on

and if you don't like their privacy policies then just don't use the site instead off moaning

[ernest1966]

I am amazed at people who actually do bring this up again and again.

Only post what you want others to see and don't mind seeing even in 20 years.

Simple as that. it is up to you.

Personally I only have close friends on my facebook, a picture of me that most wont recognise and no stupid apps.

Ernest

[Tywais]

London, May 1 (ANI): You might be happily enjoying your daily dose of social networking on Facebook, but according to an investigation, a loophole on the site can allow identity thieves to access your personal details.

Source

London, Feb 27 (ANI): In response to the furore over Facebook’’s revision of user Terms of Service (TOS), the company’’s founder Mark Zuckerberg has announced that the member of the social networking site will now have comment and voting rights over its future policies.

Source

[supashot]

facebook don't force ppl to signup and post their life on their profile. Just need to pay attention to their contract agreement.

[Crushdepth]

I think people should be concerned although perhaps more about their total 'footprint' on the web rather than any one site. If someone scrapes up the details left here and there and puts it together, it is often possible to learn quite a bit about someone. If they put a Google Alert on your name they may be able to follow your 'progress' on the web. People also tend to extrapolate the details they find and make ridiculous assumptions based on the fragments of information they have.

I agree people should 'know better', but fact is that most people don't, and won't until they get their fingers burnt. My own experiences include i) A week of death threats from a mentallly ill hacker who had a grudge against an open source project I was associated with, ii) being hauled up at work for a post on my blog denouncing racism and iii) a geriatric grandma with mental health problems once accused me of hacking her personal website and spent a week sending emails to my associates about it. She had assembled a huge pile of circumstantial 'evidence' but fortunately she was known to be a nutter and nobody took it seriously.

With hindsight, I probably could have avoided i) and possibly ii), but iii) taught me that even the most trivial details can sometimes be used against you (or misinterpreted) by your enemies.

Edited April 7, 2009 by Crushdepth