Posted on 10/18/2010 6:10:48 AM PDT by upchuck
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that 10 popular Facebook applications have been transmitting users' personal identifying information to dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies.
The newspaper said today that the breach also includes users who set all their information to be completely private. And in some cases, it says, the apps provided access to friends' names.
(Excerpt) Read more at 2.dailyprogress.com ...
Reason number 313 to avoid Facebook. Any data there is NEVER private.
Interesting. The story mentioned that 10 apps have been compromised, but didn’t tell which 10 they were. Isn’t that the whole point of reporting, to actually report new information?
I don’t suppose there’s a free link to the WSJ article? this one seems to be very short on info...namely which of the millions of apps were breached...
Just a note, here’s the link to the Wall Street Journal article that this article is talking about. It’s kind of interesting, but not really earth-shattering if you’ve been around the ‘net for a while.
http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-zynga-sharing-private-info-2010-10
See my earlier post for the link, but the company that the WSJ is going after is Zynga, who makes Farmville and a few other really popular apps.
So it is Zynga. Stupid with a capital S. They have been selling advertising space within their games. Had the potential to be very big.
I took a trivia test on facebook last year. I had to provide a cell phone number in order to find out my score. Two months later we started getting a recurring monthly charge for 8 bucks on our cell phone bill for a “trivia question of the week” service.
So, what do they do with the info, target you for spam?
FWIW, I tried to find the article on the WSJ. No luck. Must be on the paid side.
That happened to me too. That’s why I don’t do many of the applications on facebook anymore. I never know what I’ll be charged for.
“Any data there is NEVER private. “
It’s kinda the whole point behind Facebook. It is there to make your data public.
No more hearing about so-and-so who found a mutant cow wandering around in their laundry.... Oh, dear, whatever will I do???
I shoulda known it would be Zynga...
Zynga is one filthy dirty corporation. I recommend removing any and all Zynga apps if you use Facebook. There is a lot more serious violations that have yet to be reported on. Facebook would be wise to remove the relationship, but they are both seedy companies and the bed letting will continue as long as money rolls in.
Indeed. I view Facebook as a portal where everyone from advertisers to the revenuers gets a look at my insides. No thanks.
All I know is that the right side of my Facebook page has advertisments that reflect my recent searches. I haven’t received spam though.
The reason I am on Facebook is because I want people to see me. I can’t imagine “hiding” on FB.
I only wondered because awhile back I started receiving all kinds of spam email and I had no idea what I had done. Made me want to change my email address it got so bad.
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