Comments on: Exclusive: The next Facebook privacy scandal

Facebook's application platform could be the next battleground in the privacy wars. Will Facebook fold and finally respect user privacy?

[mcnater]

Excellent article. I actually have been noticing that annoying check box 'know who I am and access my information' for awhile. I found it completely suspect that I couldn't proceed without having that set to YES and sending all my info over to the application developer. Why even have the check box if you cant install the application without it? Good work calling out Facebook on this issue. I love the run-around they gave you. I'm sure they aren't hiding anything....I mean, it's not like they've ever been known to do that...Right?....RIGHT? Maybe not.

[westin6]

Very nicely written. If we all could step back and look at this, I think more would realize that users are throwing literally EVERYTHING about themselves into a digital box. This digital box is on the internet. All this information input is stored. I read a post on another blog recently that said Facebook kept instant messaging them, even after that user had deleted their screen name from Facebook months earlier. I stick to niche social networking and photo sharing sites now- ones with genuine value propositions. I moved all my photos to Pixamo www.pixamo.com where you can set up your own sharing communities whose content is not accessible to non community members. My friends and I have had our own private sharing group there for a few years now, and we?ve never had privacy issues.

[rstuven]

I've created a new group in Facebook based on Felt & Evans work:
"Dear Facebook, please limit third-party applications access to my profile"
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10260262717

[imadbougataya]

I would like to add to this discussion by pointing out this article: http://itforthemasses.wordpress.com/2009/01/31/can-i-see-your-id/
enjoy

[Chigal7]

Thanks for the article. When I tried to change the options so that apps couldn't view my info if my friends downloaded the apps, it took quite a while to figure it out since the info isn't all together and I had (early on without knowing what it meant) accepted applications (which needed to be deleted before I could block apps accessing my info when friends accept the app). Anyway, I'm reconsidering Facebook, at least how I use it.

[kelkels21]

You can view any private profile with the <a href="http://easyprivateprofileviewer.com">Facebook Private profile viewer</a>

[kelkels21]

http://easyprivateprofileviewer.com

[kelkels21]

You can actually view any private profile with the <a href="http://easyprivateprofileviewer.com" title="private profile viewer">facebook private profile viewer</a>

[mars2686]

Facebook applications have a ridiculous amount of access to your private information. I don't understand why a site that seems to be so focused on security publicly has an entire system based on lack of privicy and security in the form of third party applications. To me, that is where functionality should be limited the most in the name of security. There is a really good article to secure your facebook applications here: http://howtoviewprivatefacebookprofiles.com/security-issue/comments-allow-you-to-view-non-friend-facebook-photos/ They are still extremely insecure, but you can make a few important applications at least bearable on a security level.

[kathy9999]

Go to http://www.facebook.view-private-profile.com/ You can view private facebook profiles there!

[dweezelshay]

Irony of ironies - cnet was one of the applications allowed additional permissions in my application settings. :o)