Facebook privacy invasion ‘glitch’
p2pnet news | Freedom:- Facebook is trying to weasel out from under its latest privacy invasion advertising effort.
It’s fixed a “glitch” to “strengthen privacy protections for members,” says the Mercury News.
Bullshit.
If it hadn’t in the first place invaded users’ privacy by launching a scheme to track them wherever they go so advertisers can mine data accumulated in the process, the “technical change” wouldn’t have been necessary.
But, “the alteration isn’t likely to satisfy privacy advocates” who complain the program tramples on user privacy by forcing people to opt out of the scheme.
The change, “attempts to repair a glitch that kept one of two opt-out ‘windows’ from appearing on a user’s computer screen,” says the story.
“The advertising program, called Beacon, is part of a broad advertising initiative Facebook unveiled on Nov. 6. Still in testing, it allows users to publicize personal information – movie tickets they buy or restaurant reviews they write – and gives a select group of advertisers the opportunity to post ads.”
For “initiative” read “scam” and it doesn’t “allow” anything.
It’s a pure-and-simple ploy to hook users into “allowing” Facebook and its advertisers to profit from user data and, “It has caused an avalanche of concern,” says Mercury News.
Facebook useds have formed a new group slugged “Petition: Facebook, stop invading my privacy!” which now has 30,000 members, with more on the way.
“Facebook, the social networking site, is violating our privacy. Books, movies, or holiday gifts bought online automatically get shared with everyone you know. Sign MoveOn’s petition and join the Facebook group asking Facebook to protect online privacy,” says Moveon.org.
The story quotes Facebook spokeswoman Rachel Peterson as blandly saying the technical change is aimed at improving the function of the advertising program.
But the issue isn’t whether or not the thing is/was broken.
It’s that it exists at all; and, that Facebook users have to take a conscious action to prevent their personal data from being hijacked by advertisers.
Jon Newton – p2pnet
Also See:
Mercury News – Facebook fixes ad-sharing glitch, November 28, 2007
new group – Angry Facebook users rebel at privacy invasion, November 22, 2007
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September 18th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
This is the most predatorative, flabbergasting and discombobulating thing i’ve ever heard of or seen.
Regards,
Dr. Jean Douglas, A.S., B.Sc., DipEd., M.Phil., Ph.D., PGDip.
Director
Youth Opportunities Unlimited
HS. Texas, US