http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304772804575558484075236968.html
"Many of the most popular applications, or "apps," on the social-networking site Facebook Inc. have been transmitting identifying information—in effect, providing access to people's names and, in some cases, their friends' names—to dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies, a Wall Street Journal investigation has found.
The issue affects tens of millions of Facebook app users, including people who set their profiles to Facebook's strictest privacy settings. The practice breaks Facebook's rules, and renews questions about its ability to keep identifiable information about its users' activities secure."
They broke their rules before I joined, and they broke their own rules after they assured everyone else on Facebook and informed everyone of their strictest privacy setting.
Facebook also got members to nark on pedophiles, rather than changing security to include sending in or emailing ID like I did on one local dating site.
As well, they denied any responsibility when Facebook was used by criminals to scam other users, steal from them, and even didn't catch wind of the other capital offences committed by a few bad apples, probably despite a handful of complaints.
In my case, I was banned. Was it for posting partially nude pictures of people I don't know, heavily edited with the Gnu Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), usually by degrading the image to black and white and creatively blurring the pictures? Or for adding young people from Indonesia to help me rack up a high score at a Yazuka game Facebook runs? I really don't know.
The usual way to prevent banned users from signing up under a fake name to wreak revenge on the people who finked on them is to refuse to validate accounts associated with an email address and its associated IP address.
In my case, after receiving the email Facebook sent me which stated that I was banned due to complaints from other Facebook member, I indirectly admitted wrong-doing in reply. Within hours, I received the second email from them which stated that their decision stands and that their decision was final.
My response is documented in my blog entry for May 9, 2010, My Time on Facebook is Over.
After reading the article on Wall Street Journal, I feel vindicated for not returning to Facebook.
FWIW all my Facebook friends are spending time online they will never ever get back.
As for me, I'm getting out more often this winter to prevent SAD from turning me into a grumpy old man.
8 comments:
Read the following, or better yet, go to the link at the top of the page:
Apps" are pieces of software that let Facebook's 500 million users play games or share common interests with one another. The Journal found that all of the 10 most popular apps on Facebook were transmitting users' IDs to outside companies.
The apps, ranked by research company Inside Network Inc. (based on monthly users), include Zynga Game Network Inc.'s FarmVille, with 59 million users, and Texas HoldEm Poker and FrontierVille. Three of the top 10 apps, including FarmVille, also have been transmitting personal information about a user's friends to outside companies.
Most apps aren't made by Facebook, but by independent software developers. Several apps became unavailable to Facebook users after the Journal informed Facebook that the apps were transmitting personal information; the specific reason for their unavailability remains unclear.
The information being transmitted is one of Facebook's basic building blocks: the unique "Facebook ID" number assigned to every user on the site. Since a Facebook user ID is a public part of any Facebook profile, anyone can use an ID number to look up a person's name, using a standard Web browser, even if that person has set all of his or her Facebook information to be private. For other users, the Facebook ID reveals information they have set to share with "everyone," including age, residence, occupation and photos.
Police warn about Facebook scams:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/beware-facebook-scams-police-20110106-053905-557.html
Ten reasons not to use Facebook: http://tiny.ly/rc80
You will be subject to gentle ribbing by Mashup whilst showcasing the best, and the most creative profiles.
More vindication for me never returning to Facebook:
http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-news-feeds-can-worsen-insecurity-2011-04
The author mentions the NY Times article by Sherry Turkle, and specifically focuses on Turkle's acronym FOMO (fear of missing out).
"So, while FOMO may be growing, it ‘s not a completely negative phenomenon. It might push some people to better their own lives, and it motivate others to find acceptance about who they are sooner than they would have without digitally accelerated FOMO. Through maturity, we learn not to measure ourselves to someone else’s ruler, but we must usually suffer through anxiety and insecurity to reach this enlightenment."
In not returning to Facebook, I am demonstrating maturity.
I no longer consider it a viable way of measuring my success. I am much happier because of my decision not to return to Facebook.
This article reinforces this decision.
More vindication with news that advertisers once had access to FB members' personal information. Also, FB hired a PR firm to do a smear campaign against Google.
http://m.advice.cio.com/kristin_burnham/16086/facebook_shows_paranoia_with_google_smear_campaign?source=cwartcio
Facebook may also have fake videos posted on it: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/11/7059447-facebook-video-of-casey-anthony-confessing-is-a-fake
Yet another reason to drop Facebook: http://m.cnet.com/Article.rbml?nid=20080054&cid=null&bcid=&bid=-71
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2011/08/23/facebook-finally-helps-users-avoid-being-tagged-in-embarrassing-photos/
You can avoid being tagged, but more people you don't know can tag you.
Facebook still has a long way to go to improve this aspect of FB.
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