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UpInArms Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 07:45 PM
Original message
Facebook Glitch Exposes Private User Data To Anybody
Source: db techno

A recent Facebook glitch is causing quite the controversy when it comes to the privacy of more than 400 million people.

Facebook is by far and away the leading social networking site on the internet, allowing users to share their lives via the internet with friends and family.

On Wednesday the latest Facebook glitch was discovered, one that put the privacy of all its users in jeopardy.

The glitch made it possible for people not friended by Facebook users to access their personal info, including chat conversations, friend lists and more.

Facebook says that they are investigating what happened so that they can take steps to correct it, but has the damage already been done?

Read more: http://www.dbtechno.com/internet/2010/05/09/facebook-glitch-exposes-private-user-data-to-anybody/
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hlthe2b Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 07:47 PM
Response to Original message
1. So glad I decided to pass on FB
I have plenty of other social media options-- ones over which I can assert far more control...
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iris27 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 07:49 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. +1 n/t
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tomm2thumbs Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 07:59 PM
Response to Reply #1
4. double +1 with a twist

Betty White had it right on SNL - time waster, frankly

It is like a huge contest who can collect the most 'friends'. How about some quality instead of quantity?



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mimitabby Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 11:18 AM
Response to Reply #1
38. i use facebook a lot too
The private info they have on me is a fake birthday. I don't know what folks are thinking when they put their entire life history on there.
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tbyg52 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 05:42 PM
Response to Reply #38
42. I have *no* personal info there.
I registered under a fake name to play Mafia Wars, that's all. I'm sure glad I didn't put so much as my real name.
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NRaleighLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 07:53 PM
Response to Original message
3. Good timing - I just left. Had enough...was boring, and mostly a waste of time.
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mackerel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 08:03 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. I use it to chat sometimes.
Glad I wasn't chatting on Wednesday. I can be oh so naughty.
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whereaminow Donating Member (109 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 10:55 PM
Response to Reply #3
20. Too late.. They still have your info
And they're lying if they say otherwise, and you'll never be able to prove it either way.
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proReality Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 12:02 AM
Response to Reply #20
29. Just sign back in and all your information is right where you left it.
They don't get rid of it even if you contact them and beg them to.
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NRaleighLiberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 05:32 AM
Response to Reply #29
32. I went through the deleted everything before I left, so when I sign in,
nothing is there...but I am sure it is archived. Oh well....still feels good to be gone from it!
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HughMoran Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 08:15 PM
Response to Original message
6. Anybody who puts anything on Facebook they don't want others to see is a moron
I don't get the issue - it's a friggin' site where you can catch up with childhood friends and coordinate shit with family - what's the big deal? Can't people control what they post/put up there?
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mackerel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 08:24 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. People forget. It's easy enough to do when you're
not interfacing.

Chat though has always been private so to hear that chat was exposed. Not so good.
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HughMoran Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 08:27 PM
Response to Reply #7
8. Anything I don't want others to read goes offline
...to an actual chat service - I see no reason to mix my personal life with Facebook - I'd never ever do that - it's strictly formal for me.
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no limit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 10:09 AM
Response to Reply #7
34. Did the private chats actually get exposed or just wall postings?
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cbdo2007 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 10:02 PM
Response to Reply #6
14. This is the exact response I was going to make. There is no reason to put
anything online ever that you don't want people to know. What do they think it's a credit card? It's ridiculous that anyone trusts anything on Facebook or any website that isn't a company they specifically know and trust.

Personally I have as much stuff public as possible on Facebook because no one cares and is ever going to look at it. Of course I don't list my address, phone, SSN, credit card, bank info, anything on there so the most amazing thing they are going to find out is - my hometown!! Oh noes!!! ha ha. People are crazy, just don't post anything online that you don't want people to know.

It was funny because someone I work with was completely crazy about people getting her personal information on Facebook so i created a fake account with fake name and fake picture of an attractive guy, I Friended her out of the blue...of course she accepted it and I had access to all of her stuff. Then I asked her why if she is so worried about her privacy she is friending random people...she didn't have an answer.
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HughMoran Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 10:09 PM
Response to Reply #14
16. lol
I like the story in your last paragraph - I think some people just don't know how to protect their privacy properly :rofl:
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cliffordu Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 08:35 PM
Response to Original message
9. They got bupkus from me.
I'm a 30 year old woman named after a '50's sitcom star.
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Atman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 09:03 PM
Response to Original message
10. So I'll post it again...
Why the fuck would you put serious personal information on FB?
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Haole Girl Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 09:05 PM
Response to Original message
11. FB will also start using facial recognition software to allow others to find people
I would suggest not only removing any photos of people's faces you don't want "found," but also editing out any personal information from the "information" page.

While there is no longer privacy on the internet, there are a few commonsense safeguards worth considering.
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Bette Noir Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 09:09 PM
Response to Original message
12. I dropped Facebook last year, and I haven't regretted it for a minute.
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1620rock Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 09:48 PM
Response to Reply #12
13. Beware of "Paypal" also..some guy in Europe was charging to our account big time.
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Divine Discontent Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 11:37 AM
Response to Reply #13
40. how did he get your PP account? did he get a copy of your numbers of your debit card?
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City Lights Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 06:08 AM
Response to Reply #12
33. You may have dropped FB, but FB has not dropped you.
They keep your account on file even after you inactivate it, just in case you want to come back.
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unlegendary Donating Member (64 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 10:07 PM
Response to Original message
15. Oh Darn..now the world will see....
Me waving my dick at Bush on the whitehouse steps yelling, "BLOW ME BIG BOY!"...and I was trying so hard to keep that a secret..
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UpInArms Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 10:20 PM
Response to Reply #15
17. ... snarf ...
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The Backlash Cometh Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 10:56 PM
Response to Reply #15
22. You can have a mundane album, and still be concerned about privacy.
There are extremely nosy people in the community who just want to get into your business just for the opportunity to trash you on a personal level. Those are the kind of people you just don't want getting into your facebook account, so I would love to know how that glitch was allowed to happen, and who has the ability to access it?

And anyone who thinks it's easy to keep in touch with your kids once they take off for college is truly living the life of Riley.
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DimplesinMI Donating Member (281 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 10:47 PM
Response to Original message
18. OMG!! Guess the next thing is.......
To Kill Facebook before it possibly go public next year. As a Gen Xer, I love FB and frankly all of these stories about FB and privacy is really getting on my nerves. Nothing, at all on the internet is private anyway. If you want to live in privacy, stay off the freaking internet, already.

With FB, as long as you do not play the games...you are fine. I do not and I only put things on FB that I do not mind others to see. How hard is that? Enough already with downing, FB.
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WorseBeforeBetter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 11:42 PM
Response to Reply #18
28. I love Facebook for these two reasons alone...
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JerseygirlCT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 08:34 PM
Response to Reply #18
44. What's the games problem, if you don't mind?
I mean, I could care less about farms or the like, but I wasn't aware of the problem you allude to.
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The Backlash Cometh Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 10:50 PM
Response to Original message
19. So who has been able to access the glitch?
Sounds way too convenient, if you ask me.
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Ex Lurker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 10:55 PM
Response to Original message
21. look at the bright side
even if your FB data included sensitive information, you're a microscopic fish swimming among eleven bazillion other microscopic fish. Assuming anyone accessed this data, it's unlikely they'd ever sift down enough to find you.
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Iris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 11:02 PM
Response to Reply #21
23. That's how I always look at this stuff.
plus, I'm so boring, no one would care anyway!
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SheilaT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 11:11 PM
Response to Original message
24. I have not been able to figure out the appeal
of Facebook. Maybe it's because I'm one of the older Boomers, but I see absolutely no need for it.
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Ex Lurker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 11:17 PM
Response to Reply #24
25. Frankly....
I'm a 49 year old single man, and I estimate there are roughly two females for every male on FB in my age bracket. That's the appeal to me (my intentions are strictly honorable. I'm not looking to hook up. But it's nice to make connections, and it's not always so easy to do in real life.)
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mackerel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 11:40 PM
Response to Reply #25
27. Dude you should be looking for hook-ups there.
That's how a lot of my friends have reconnected. Some fun stories have come out of it.
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proud2BlibKansan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 12:11 AM
Response to Reply #24
30. The political groups I am involved in post a lot of messages on FB
There are also several elected officials who post updates on legislation. FB is the first place I look for legislative news.
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Xithras Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 10:37 AM
Response to Reply #24
35. I use FB. And I think it's useful.
I have parents, brothers, and sisters spread across five states who I don't get to communicate with nearly enough. After everyone got on Facebook, we went from talking and "catching up" once a month or so, to communicating with each other in real time almost every day. I communicate with my youngest sister more on Facebook than I have EVER talked to her in my entire life (she was a bit younger, so we were never exactly close as kids).

I don't think that FB is for everybody, but it's a great way to keep tabs on those in your family and social circle when time and geography get in the way.
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ericinne Donating Member (251 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-10 11:35 PM
Response to Original message
26. I LIKE FACEBOOK!!
It's a great way to play free games like Farmville. A quick GMAIL account just for games makes facebook great. All the "PERSONAL" info is left in a separate account, and even THAT info is limited.

Facebook has issues, no doubt, but nothing to be concerned with if you already know the ways of the net and what divulging ANYTHING about yourself means on ANY site.

I don't feel sorry for anybody who puts this info out there, then someday gets it compromised. I trust facebook as much as I trust my local bank's security for my online and ATM transacations... NOT AT ALL.

It really IS possible to be the invisible man, the closest you could come is by just being quiet.
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eagertolearn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 12:14 AM
Response to Original message
31. I think this has happened more than once....
One time i didn't know what i was doing and somehow got on (facebook) someones wall and saw their private conversation with someone. I got off right away but it made me realize that nothing is private on the internet. Even these posts are seen. One time i was talking about a play controversy (on here) in our town and people from my town had been looking at it so much that it was near the top of the google. I was surprised since I sure they knew it was me. Nothing is private on the internet and really nothing is private unless you have a friend who you know won't talk!
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ConcernedCanuk Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 10:40 AM
Response to Original message
36. I never would have joined face book if I cared about privacy.
.
.
.

If teenagers can hack into the DOD

there is no REAL net privacy.

I don't care

If I wanted privacy

I wouldn't be on the net.

period.

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activa8tr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 10:44 AM
Response to Original message
37. I posted some negative stuff about FaceBook yesterday and got a very
negative response from FaceBook lovers here.

Personally, I set everything to "friends only" but I no longer trust FaceBook to not allow others to snoop
on me.

I suppose using my real name and be-friending my family members 1500 miles away was risky behavior on my part, but
that's MY problem, most folks here seem to be saying.
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shanti Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 11:32 AM
Response to Original message
39. ok, that's it for me and facebook
Edited on Mon May-10-10 11:33 AM by shanti
just deactivated my account. :( i always felt uncomfortable with the voyeuristic quality of FB. it serves no useful purpose anymore.
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bobburgster Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 04:48 PM
Response to Original message
41. And they wonder why.....
I hate Facebook.
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LanternWaste Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-10-10 06:18 PM
Response to Original message
43. I feel so violated.
Oh dear. Now the corporatist/government agents/terrorist/insert-favorite-boogey-man-here will have that horrible picture of me in eight grade. I guess this means "they" win. I feel so violated.
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