Facebook has something called "applications" which are actually a bunch of mini software programs designed by outsiders and which are a lot of fun. You can do jigsaw puzzles, send your friends flowers and cards, dedicate songs, put messages on their message boards, and hundreds of other activities. Here's the annoying part: they always make you send invitations to your friends. That's annoying.
Here is the part that is kind of scary: the outsiders--really, anyone--has access to all the information on your profile when you install one of these fun programs. If it's in your profile, complete strangers know where you've been to school, where you work, what part of the country you're from, how many kids you have, your political views and on and on and on.
I don't like that. It's time to start deleting.
Here's part of the article I read. Click the title for the whole article.
A Flashy Facebook Page, at a Cost to Privacy
Facebook fanatics who have covered their profiles on the popular social networking site with silly games and quirky trivia quizzes may be unknowingly giving a host of strangers an intimate peek at their lives.
Those mini-programs, called widgets or applications, allow users to personalize their pages and connect with friends and acquaintances. But they could pose privacy risks. Some security researchers warn that developers of the software have assembled too much information -- home town, schools attended, employment history -- and can use the data in ways that could harm or annoy users.
Yes, time to get rid of all those applications!
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4 comments:
Hooray! Jan is tired of receiving Facebook invitations -- and from folks she would never expect to joine it. She says, if she wanted to sign up, she would do it herself. She read a while ago about how lax their security measures are and that if you sign up, you can't ever actually delete the information in your account.
So thanks for writing this and telling others about the problem. The more who speak out, the more who might hear and think twice about using some of these widgets.
Purrs and tail wags
wow..I am so glad to read this. I love Facebook and had no idea! Time to delete!
That's why there is never any real personal information in my profiles on any group or site. I tell those friends I'm close to anything they want to know privately. Anyone else that dosen't know me can guess. LOL I deactivated my facebook account.
Mom has never joined Facebook, but thanks so much for informing folks of what you found! Lots of people have Facebook accounts, and privacy is such an important and crucial issue, especially in this electronic age.
Purrs and snuggles from Marilyn!
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