Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
The question of whether privacy really exists on Facebook is an important one that is on everyone’s mind. Privacy on the Internet is a hot button in general but when it comes to Facebook, it is especially sensitive.
If you are a person who cares deeply about your online privacy and wants to guard what you say to whom and to make sure that your words are not read by the wrong person, don’t use Facebook. People tend to use Facebook comfortably and freely and forget that everyone can read whatever they post there.
Several months ago, Facebook added its “Like” feature, which is available for all websites to place on their content, and which permits anyone with a Facebook profile to “Like” anything that is on the Internet, anywhere, and gives them the opportunity to connect with the things that they care about. If you are signed onto your Facebook account, you have immediate personalization. Your interests and the interests of your contacts are shared and used to make your experience more personal.
When Facebook first added the “Like” feature, within a matter of a few weeks, thousands of businesses added the “Like” button to their company websites. The gathering of information almost seems too easy. When someone visits the website or web page, Facebook collects the website address that is being visited and the Internet address of the visitor is collected as soon as the page is loaded.
Regarding the issue of privacy, Facebook claims that this information is made anonymous three months after it is collected and is not shared with or sold to other people. However, the privacy advocates are not happy with the fact that information is being collected by Facebook regardless of whether the user gives permission or not.
Opting out
Even if you opt out (don’t agree) of sharing your information with other people, it can still be shared by your friends to adjoining websites. That is the default setting. If you want to opt out, you have to do more work to make that happen. You have to block each adjoining website. Many people are asking that the latter be the default setting, which would be the most ethical thing to do.
The many settings
Originally, Facebook users had to go through 50 different settings to make their shared information private. After a great deal of negative attention, Facebook revised the feature last spring and now there are only 15 different settings.
What is Facebook’s position?
Facebook says that many more people are worried about being charged a fee in the near future for using Facebook than about their privacy. According to Facebook, there is little change in the statistics from the users since the privacy policy was instituted. That is even after the much-publicized “Quit Facebook Day.”
As we speak, Facebook claims to be continually working on making the privacy settings simpler. However, they still stick to the idea that their users want to share their information, especially if they feel as thought they are in control.
Conclusion
The fact remains that no matter what, passionate Facebook users will continue to use Facebook. With approximately 500 million users, it is one of the most popular social media channels. There are many people who feel that they would rather be able to use Facebook freely than to be limited by rules. However, with that said, the privacy issue is a huge one for Facebook and will continue to be a sensitive issue for many people.
We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. Please contact us at CompuKol Communications for further discussion on how we might be able to assist you and your team and don’t forget to “like” our Facebook page.
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Direct Marketing Association "Official"
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Hello Michael!
A very interesting topic.
Personally I don't think it really does… You cannot really operate incognito on facebook, there's always a way for someone to see something.
For example even if you secure photos of yourself, if someone is friends with the photographer and not you, then can view all your photos, even if blocked.
Another thing I find interesting is that every once in a while facebook likes to "reset" your privacy settings, where you have to opt out again… A sneaky and manipulative move in my opinion.
On a side note, I think LinkedIn need a block function as sometimes there are people who want to keep certian information private from, for example not wanting ex partners to know where you work etc. can anyone advise?
Thank you all, have a great day!
Posted by Mohammed Ali
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Writing Mafia
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Whether it does or not, I think we're smart to behave as if it doesn't. Or that it's very limited, like with email. There were some good guidelines on Huffington Post recently about what NOT to put on FB: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/01/what-not-to-post-on-facebook_n_764338.html#s157112
Posted by Karen Risch
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Writers
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
No, it doesn't. Don't let anyone ever try to convince you otherwise.
Posted by Andrew Peterson
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Writing Mafia
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
The many articles about FB privacy are beginning to irritate me completely. I've had a FB account for awhile now, and those who have their privacy compromised have no one to blame but themselves. It comes down to one thing: if you don't want others to know the information, don't post it on FB! People post their addresses and phone numbers while making their profiles available to everyone instead of just friends. Use some common sense and you won't have a problem.
Posted by Brenda Coxe
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: The Breakfast Club – NJ
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Yes – FB does have a privacy policy. It can be accessed from the bottom of the page, and I am sure you can search in help for it. Unfortunately, it is much too verbose to list it in the limited space allowable here.
Posted by Adrienne (McConnon) Roman
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: The Social Media Marketing Group
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
I have always assumed that there is zero privacy on Facebook. I also assume that anything passing through Google's servers is not private. And that Twitter DMs can be hacked in too.
If you want to make sure a message is private, phone is probably a better idea. If you need a paper trail, then fax it.
Or just be honest and open and transparent so there's nothing to hide–that's how I attempt to live my life, online and off. (I talk about this as a success strategy, in fact, in my latest book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green).
Posted by Shel Horowitz
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Books and Writers
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Many people don't when to stop spilling their guts on Facebook. There is so much drivel on Facebook thatandfull of people make you wonder why people post such garbage that only a handful of people care about. WQhen I have interviewed candidates for internships in the past the first thing that I would ask them if their was anything on their Facebook page that would embarrass them or the company. Typically everybody would go back and take off all kinds of stuff. Unfortunately too many people believe Facebook is a magic bullet. Well, folks, there is no such thing as a magic bullet. Facebook, used as a tactic along with an intelligent well-thought out marketing program can have an impact. Facebook is great, but it's not the second coming. Don't expect just because you write a book and you put it upon Facebook that all of a sudden you'll make lots of money. That probably isn't the case.
Posted by Terrence Brejla
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Freelance Editing Network
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
No.
"Facebook privacy" is an oxymoron, like "jumbo shrimp."
Posted by Nellie Sabin
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and editing professionals
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
I don't really understand what the fuss is about… if someone from a newspaper came and asked to write all your personal information down so they could keep it on file, would you? And would you be surprised to discover that someone else had read it?
Why is it so astonishing to discover that personal information you stick up on the web has been read by someone else? Why are so many people so eager to believe requests to "Trust me!"
If you (that's a non-specific "you" by the way) want to keep something private, keep it to yourself.
Posted by Edward Lipsett
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Web Developer & Graphic Designer
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
When it comes to using any kind of internet medium, I always try to think about the intended audience and the unintended audience for each message. In other words, post only things you are comfortable with being public knowledge. Your high school friend can easily show your photos to a stranger on their mobile device. Or what if your friend forgets to log out after he/she use a public computer to access Facebook?
Posted by Laura Pham
I'm in 100% agreement with Shel Horowitz. USE THE PHONE or go for a walk with someone if you have anything "private" to discuss. People don't seem to understand that there is quite a difference between Personal and Private. IMHO, Private does not belong on the Global Whiteboard, so whatever FB does or doesn't do shouldn't matter.
People need to have a "strategy" for using social media platforms, and if you are a business person, that strategy should include protecting your reputation . . . and the reputation of your company.
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Writers
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Simply assume that every single thing which you transmit across or store on the internet in any way is not secure, and is probably being stored on some server somewhere for all eternity, to be found at the worst possible moment by someone who wants you to have a bad day.
That's Facebook, LJ, blogs, Flickr, even email. It's not secure. It is being stored on a big backup somewhere. And someone will probably hack that backup someday. Some are less secure than others – any account that you have which is secured by a single username/password combo is especially dangerous, and the more popular the site is, the more likely you are to have someone snag your password from you.
If you have something private to say, say it in person.
Posted by Kevin McLaughlin
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: American Society of Business Publication Editors
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Great question. I'm not active on Facebook for several reasons – one of which is privacy issues. I feel it would be irresponsible of me to expose my business to a 'casual' platform such as Facebook (as opposed to, say, LinkedIn), where it is far more difficult to monitor and contain any erroneous postings, and which might allow access to private details about me that have no relevance to the business.
Posted by Ffion Llwyd-Jones
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Books and Writers
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Yes and No,have been with facebook for a long time now and I have seen some unusual types happening like the people put on their profiles,some maybe fake others are truthful but in the end everyone has a go and gets caught into something they shouldnt have said maybe broken relationships and some get nasty and start picking on others or you are left with horrible comments said about you.Facebook is for friends and family to chat,I know im on there quite alot as I have family from interstate and its nice to catch up on family issues and Im on there every night to speak to my mother so yeh I think facebook is great apart from those that tend to pick on people that may be hurtful.Even thou you have private settings you can still see other friends profile and their friends and also they have a report a spam page too if someone is annoying you.
Posted by Denise Tyler
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media For The Clueless
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Here is my one word answer: "NO!"
Here is my multi-word answer: To some extent. My own personal philosophy is that regardless of privacy setting, there is no privacy anywhere on the internet, and unless you are using an encryption system like PGP for your email, you should never assume you have privacy in email or text messaging either.
Always assume that what you are putting out into the Inter-Tubes COULD become completely public at any moment. Let's assume for the sake of argument that Facebook's privacy settings were affording you a degree of privacy. One of your friends might just copy and paste what you have said into their list and they may have totally open privacy settings.
Here is my mental strategy. When my computer is linked to the Internet, I make the assumption that I am standing at the center of a public square or a shopping mall. You and I may be having a "private" conversation, but we have to assume that the rest of the world milling around us can overhear that conversation and put it out into the gossip chain.
So, no, there is absolutely no privacy for anything you place into any online environment.
Dr. Marc Kossmann
Posted by Dr. Marc Kossmann
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Well, you have various option for dealing with privacy, including blocking everyone except friends. Unfortunately, too few people are aware of the concept of privacy (see youropenbook.org). I recently saw an article on BoingBoing pointing to a legal site stating that two separate state courts ruled that private social media content is subject to legal discovery, meaning that plaintiffs are compelled to provide their logins and passwords to the court. Federal courts have ruled the opposite way. http://www.jdsupra.com/post/documentViewer.aspx?fid=95210a6c-058b-4fdc-bbd7-b68a54b51e6c .
Posted by Ron Burkhardt
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Bergen Area Networking Group
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
No, I do not think so, not anymore. I have had a profile for over 2 years on Facebook, and in the past 3 months the junk mail and job offers etc….are inescapable. I know they sold
my info, because I have only 2 profiles Facebook and Linkedin, and I stayed away from MySpace for this reason.
Posted by Dhyana Forte
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Linked Strategies
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Sure Facebook privacy exists. But it's very deeply hidden away, under layers of privacy option settings.
Then there's the other issue, which equally applies to Google – whether you want someone else's servers storing all your personal data in the first place.
Posted by Phil Rowley
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media Plus Summit
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
my thought is that it probably is not in existance as of yet. it might not ever be.
Posted by Sharonann Wogan
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: New Jersey Bergen County Networking Group
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Hell no! No one respects privacy at all…in person or electronically.
Posted by David Kriso
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: PSG – Professional Service Group of Dover, NJ
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
As your article points out, Facebook Privacy is the definition of an oxymoron. Their first pass out of the box always seems to be that you have to proactively opt out (if you are even able to do that) of everything. Even if you meticulously go through and set all your privacy settings to lock everything down. The folks at FaceBook will launch a new feature that will automatically impact your privacy unless you do something. More recently the new feature that allows anyone of your friends to add you to any group without your permission. FaceBook is not about privacy, it's very nature is for folks to share information freely about themselves. So I would not expect them to change their tune anytime soon.
It's really simple, if you are really concerned about privacy, just do not join face book, connect with your friends and family the old fashion way through eMail, or even snail mail.
If you are just routinely concerned about your privacy, just accept that you have to keep a close watch on your facebook account, opt out of new features when they arrive, delete inappropriate postings to your wall, ask your friends to delete inappropriate pictures of you from their pages, etc. etc. And of course just don't say anything or post any pictures that you would not want your mom, your spouse, your kids, or your boss to see or read.
Posted by Bruce Pugh
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and editing professionals
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Well, the issue is that there are different levels of appropriate privacy. Is Facebook secure so that if one wants their friends to see, for instance, an e-mail address, but keep it from complete strangers, can they truly do so? Facebook has a way to create different lists for which you can choose different privacy settings, but the issue is whether they are truly secure.
Posted by Ellen S. Boyne
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: American Society of Business Publication Editors
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Of course it isn't. Everything online is linked and anyone can read what you say from one social media outlet to the other. The real question is the legality of using FB comments to, for example, fire someone from their job, as in the recent Connecticut case. Watch for this issue to ultimately end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Posted by Laura Mazzuca Toops
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Creative Designers and Writers
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Yes. It really depends about how much are you willing to show to the others. The rest is privacy.
Posted by Hugh LeDuc
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and editing professionals
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Hope, privacy setting implemented/available at the facebook, even they've controlled to see friend information and their friend(s) profile. But most of user doesn't opted on this privacy setting.
Posted by Guna sekar
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Telecom Professionals
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
I think the facebook have no privacy at all
1- referring to the Germany Minister of Consumer Protection Ilse Aigner "Private information must remain private. Unfortunately, Facebook does not respect this wish."
2- In March2010, the website announced a planned test to start sharing users' personal details with handpicked third-party websites to help those sites better personalize their services to people. Facebook users won't necessarily be notified when this happens
3- Play the most popular games, and your personal information – and in some cases, your list of friends – is sent to app-makers and their allies in the advertising and data-gathering trades.
4- In May Facebook rewrote the rules to let users lock down more personal details. The new disclosures show that it's still possible for softwaremakers – invited in by Facebook to keep users happy with games and services – to cart off personal information and share the results.
Read more: http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-10-19/opinion/24141616_1_mafia-wars-facebook-privacy-rules
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1981524,00.html#ixzz14unrOsJE
Posted by Loai Tamimi
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Professional Bloggers
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Privacy?
I share my data, my pictures, my texts, my blogs, my expressions, my videos and my tastes on … dozens of midias.
I have no privacy anywhere in the net.
Of course the selection of who is allowed to talk to me is mine, but I can't controll what others see or even say about myself.
There is no privacy in the Universe since the invention of the radar, waves readers and comunication.
Satelites and cameras are right now reading my movements.
I … don't particularly believe in privacy.
Posted by Marcos Aurélio Rondineli de Oliveira
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Creative Designers and Writers
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
No. The whole point of FaceBook is to "put yourself out there" for people to see you. If you avoid the photo, and make all your info private, nobody can find you. Really, if you're very much worried about privacy, you stay away from social media, and stay very, very private…
Posted by Keith Allingham
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: NY Entrepreneurs Business Network (NYEBN)
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
I Ask Myself The Same Question. Especially When I Post Something On One Of My Friends Wall & See That All My Friends See It On Their Wall & I'm Posting Something Just For My One Friend To Be Be Notified About It.
Posted by Tony YTB
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Reputation 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
The first rule of privacy on social media is that there is no privacy! What I mean by this is that when you put information on social media it is stored on a server "somewhere in the cloud". You do not even know where that server sits. Just by that fact there is NO privacy.
Yes, you can protect using all kinds of different tools and security settings the information from usage by others, but this does not stop anyone who is ambitious enough to hack into these servers. Having working in the lock business, I know that every lock can be broken (even the toughest locks) and so can break the security settings.
By using these settings we create a false sense of security and privacy. which brings me to rule number two: whatever you can not tell your spouse, partner, children, clos family and friends, do not put that information on social media.
Rule number 3: use the security settings to protect, to the best of the platforms ability, your information.
Posted by Mic Adam
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
I have set my privacy settings to friends only, but when I google myself my facebook page comes up – any suggestions on how to change that?
Posted by Lisa Meddin
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
While signed in to FB, go to http://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy , the click on "edit settings" under "Websites and Applications", then click "Public Search" and de-select the box listed.
Posted by Ron Burkhardt
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
In the old days of Facebook, you were able to set it so that nobody could send you friend requests, which was fine because I could still send friend requests. For a year or more now, the only choices are Everyone can send you friend requests or Only Friends of Friends can send friend requests. That is NOT private. We get all kinds of friend requests from people we don't know and people we don't want finding us. HATE THAT FACEBOOK DID THAT. HATE. When Diaspora is up and running, we and dozens of friends we can name off the tops of our heads are going to leave Facebook.
Posted by Matthew Richards
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Those settings are still there, they are just buried and myriad. The debate over the internet and privacy, in my mind, is the same as for 401Ks. "What!?," you say?
When it comes to 401Ks, particpants are better served by being automatically enrolled, as participation is disappointingly low for employees who have to opt-in. The conventional wisdom is that if something is good for people, require them to opt out. If it is possibly detrimental, require them to opt-in.
The problem for all things social and web is that financial success is dependent on scale. You need millions of eyes and trillions of page views to be successful, particularly if your revenue source is advertising. The other developing source of revenue is big-data. Terabytes of user profiles, preferences, and activities are available for marketing, trend detection, and sentiment analysis. In order for this to be useful, profiles need to be open and public. As such, the privacy choices usually default to 'public'. The biggest problem with privacy is the low rate of digital literacy and the lack of mainstream discussion about owning your privacy, instead choosing to focus on the handful of people disciplined for online activities.
Posted by Ron Burkhardt
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Those setting are NOT still there, Ron. I know all the settings intimately. Friends of friends can send me friend requests. Privacy Setting > Connecting on Facebook – View Settings > Send you friend requests. The only choices are Everyone or Friends of Friends. That is not the same settings. Facebook does not offer them anymore.
Posted by Matthew Richards
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
We have no federal rights to privacy except in the financial, medical and telecommunications industries. Look at the federal inquiry into Google that is going on right now. Their Streetview cars collected private network information (IPs, MAC addresses, etc) from unsecured wireless networks for 3 years. The only legal question mark is whether they broke TELECOMMUNICATIONS law in taking private transmission data from the airwaves. There is no privacy law being looked at.
Until we have digital privacy laws and until they carry real teeth where accountability and stiff penalties are applied, businesses can continue to play loose and fast with all of this data being collected. The discussion in this thread so far has been about how other people can get to our data. In my mind, the bigger problem is the amount of data out there that is being sold, shared and given away behind the scenes and that's being used for (or against us) without our knowledge.
Posted by Shawn Pleska
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: B2B Marketing
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
The short answer is, nothing in the social space is ever really private. It doesn't matter how many mechanisms are in place, the concept of privacy has long been gone. Rather unfortunate, but rather true.
Posted by Olalah Njenga
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
That's at the root of my concern, Shawn. The annoyance of being found by 'friend collectors' is the least of my worries on the subject.
Posted by Matthew Richards
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
@Matthew – you are absolutely correct about the options. The question here could just as easily be "does privacy exist?" Realistically, the answer is no. We only had privacy via obscurity. Prior to increased computing power, cheap storage, and ubiquitous technology, the costs were to high to make use of information. Now it is near-trivial.
Posted by Ron Burkhardt
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Why is privacy trivial? That view is dangerous. Maybe 99+% of the population and 99+% of businesses are safe enough that we can entrust them with private information but to say that privacy is trivial implies that you acquiesce to having that other <1% have access to your private information. Information is power…the power to help OR the power to harm. I for one would rather protect my family by defending as much information as I can because the alternative increases my risk of being a target of that <1%.
Posted by Shawn Pleska
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
@Shawn, I'm sorry of I wasn't sufficiently clear. Privacy is important. My reference of triviality is the ability to organize and leverage disparate and discrete information has become common and inexpensive, whereas before it was more rare and expensive.
Posted by Ron Burkhardt
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media & Community 2.0
Discussion: Does Facebook Privacy Actually Exist?
Being a software engineer, I know first hand how insignificant the cost of collecting, storing and managing data is these days. That's why I feel passionate about having some privacy controls in place otherwise it becomes like email.
It costs just about nothing to send email today. What happened when it got so cheap? Spam, spam and more spam, that's what. With all of the spam and the risks associated with spam, it finally made the governement act. I suspect we'll see the same with privacy laws at some point. However, there's a possibility the industry can avoid the "political hammer". Spam is obvious and causes measurable damage. Having others divulge or sell your personal information freely or on a paid basis is not so obvious.
…time will tell.
Posted by Shawn Pleska