A week or so ago, we mentioned that sense that we have that somebody’s watching us. As it turns out, that someone may be Facebook. First, there was the bruhaha over the fact that FB keeps track of where you go, even after you leave their site. And now, due to an EU law that requires providers to turn over whatever records they may have about an individual upon that individual’s request, another kerfuffle has erupted. A couple of months ago, Austrian law student Max Schrems asked Facebook for all his personal data. What did he get? More than 1,200 pages of data, including:
… chats he had deleted more than a year ago, “pokes” dating back to 2008, invitations, and hundreds of other details. [Along with] … the exact times Max logged in and wrote messages, the times of day [of] messages he sent or received, Max’s friend network, the locations of the pictures he took in Vienna, and the most popular tags of Max’s messages.
So ask yourself, what does FB know about you? If you’re there, whether you’re posting things better left unposted or not, you can find us musing on dastardly deeds!
[Image couresty of abine.com]
I no longer go on FB. I got a virus the first time so quit. After a time went back and got 3 viruses within one day. I’m now done forever with FB. No one’s worth that much trouble.
Bitsy –
I am really opposed to FB on all kinds of grounds, but it never ceases to amaze me what people will post. I mean, don’t people worry at all about privacy any more? They post when they’re going to be out of town, where they’re going out to dinner, all kinds of stuff that could help out a criminal who wants to rob them or whatever! It sort of freaks me out. Guess I am old.
–Laura
Well, if you don’t post private information, then you don’t have privacy issues with FB.