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Facebook Privacy Concern



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Wed Apr 28, 2010 4:17 am
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Nate says...



So if you follow the news even slightly, you have probably heard some negative things about Facebook. If you follow the news closely, then you know that four US Senators recently sent a letter to Facebook in response to some of Facebook's new products. One of these new products is the Like Button that you're beginning to see on a whole slew of websites (including YWS). Yet, the Like button is not what the Senators are concerned with.

The concern is that Facebook is beginning to launch something it calls "Instant Personalization". What this means is that a website partnering with Facebook can offer you a personal experience the first time you visit that website. If instant personalization were enabled on YWS, that'd mean YWS could give you reading recommendations the first time you ever visited the site. Of course, that means that Facebook would be sharing your information with YWS.

However, Instant Personalization is currently restricted to just three websites total: Pandora, Yelp, and Docs.com. So when you hear the bad press about Facebook, it's about a program they're trying out with just those three sites. Facebook will probably extend it to other sites in the future, but it's always going to be just the big dogs. Instant Personalization will never be available on YWS, which is a good and a bad thing.

If you want to block Instant Personalization, head to Facebook's "Applications and Websites" privacy settings page. Look for the option at the very bottom of the page entitled "Instant Personalization." Uncheck the "Allow" box, then confirm that you want to opt-out. Simple as that.

For more information, TechCrunch has a good blog post about it.
  





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Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:51 pm
Rosendorn says...



Facebook privacy is scary. Considering Facebook's CWO doesn't believe in privacy and senators are calling for facebook privacy regulation it's getting interesting. In Canada, Facebook has had to modify it's programming in order to comply with our privacy laws. Not exactly sure how, but it did happen.

Definitely be careful.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:23 pm
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Kamas says...



You have to be careful with your information, on any site. It can end up anywhere.
"Nothing is permanent in this wicked world - not even our troubles." ~ Charles Chaplin

#tnt
  








In short, Mrs. Pontellier was beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her.
— Kate Chopin, The Awakening