Facebook Users Data Collected And Shared Online

Facebook users complained of complicated privacy settings so Facebook made them easier. The privacy settings now default and some things have to be opted out of being public. If a user does not opt out, then that information is made public to anyone who wants to search for it, without or without help.

Ron Bowles used this knowledge and a piece of code to collect and publish the personal details of 100 million Facebook users. He scanned profiles and collected public data from its users.

His master list has been made into a file for download and contains the URL of every searchable Facebook user’s profile, name and unique ID. The list has made it as far as Pirate Bay, the largest file sharing network, and has been downloaded over 1,000 times.

Bowles claims he was trying to raise awareness of privacy issues. Facebook says it was already public information.

This is causing quite a stir. Facebook lays claim to the fact that the user has the right to have their information public if they so choose. Comparing themselves to a phone book, they make note of the fact people are on Facebook to be found and find others. They point out that no private information was ever leaked so there was no privacy leak.

Privacy International blames Facebook. They believe that the company should have preventive measures for anyone being able to use a trawl to gather information. They also believe it is simply the result of no one understanding the privacy settings.

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Posted by JenBrunner on Jul 29 2010. Filed under Featured News, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry