Facebook will soon share users’ phone numbers and addresses with 3rd parties

Chevy57

Chevy57

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It's been a while since we've had an uproar over Facebook's handling of its users personal information, so we suppose the time is ripe.
So cue the online outrage: Facebook announced today in a letter to Congress that the social-media platform is moving forward with plans to give third parties access to user information, such as phone numbers and home addresses.
In a letter to Reps. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Tex.), who both expressed concerns over Facebook's plan to make such data available, company officials reiterated their now-familiar pledge to leave it up to users to decide whether they want their personal contact information to go out to app developers and outside websites. Markey has previously said that "Facebook needs to protect the personal information of its users to ensure that Facebook doesn't become Phonebook."
The company, meanwhile, sounds as though it has no plans to trim back its information-sharing ambitions.
"We have not yet decided when or in what manner we will redeploy the permission for mobile numbers and addresses," the letter states. "We are evaluating whether and how we can increase the visibility of applications' request for permission to access user contact information. We are also considering whether additional user education would be helpful."
Facebook has incited user revolts in the past by arbitrarily re-calibrating its privacy settings and then making it difficult for even the most seasoned web geeks to figure out how to reset them. And once again, anger is roiling among tech industry observers.
"Facebook is the slowly warming pot of water and we, my friends, are the frog. By the time we noticed our peeling skin, another hunk of our privacy is long gone," MSNBC tech writer Helen A.S. Popkin wrote about the latest move. "This is how Facebook rolls: Strip away a huge chunk of your privacy, cry 'Our bad!' and roll it back when users and/or privacy advocates complain. Then wait awhile, and do whatever it is Facebook planned to do anyway. Voila! Boiled frog."
Or as Facebook VP Elliot Schrage bluntly (if less colorfully) put things in the midst of a similar uproar last year: If you don't want Facebook to share your personal information, don't share your personal information with Facebook.

Facebook will soon share users’ phone numbers and addresses with 3rd parties - Yahoo! News

This is total BULL CRAP!! Why don't they share our passwords too?
 
Chevy57 said:
It's been a while since we've had an uproar over Facebook's handling of its users personal information, so we suppose the time is ripe.
So cue the online outrage: Facebook announced today in a letter to Congress that the social-media platform is moving forward with plans to give third parties access to user information, such as phone numbers and home addresses.
In a letter to Reps. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Tex.), who both expressed concerns over Facebook's plan to make such data available, company officials reiterated their now-familiar pledge to leave it up to users to decide whether they want their personal contact information to go out to app developers and outside websites. Markey has previously said that "Facebook needs to protect the personal information of its users to ensure that Facebook doesn't become Phonebook."
The company, meanwhile, sounds as though it has no plans to trim back its information-sharing ambitions.
"We have not yet decided when or in what manner we will redeploy the permission for mobile numbers and addresses," the letter states. "We are evaluating whether and how we can increase the visibility of applications' request for permission to access user contact information. We are also considering whether additional user education would be helpful."
Facebook has incited user revolts in the past by arbitrarily re-calibrating its privacy settings and then making it difficult for even the most seasoned web geeks to figure out how to reset them. And once again, anger is roiling among tech industry observers.
"Facebook is the slowly warming pot of water and we, my friends, are the frog. By the time we noticed our peeling skin, another hunk of our privacy is long gone," MSNBC tech writer Helen A.S. Popkin wrote about the latest move. "This is how Facebook rolls: Strip away a huge chunk of your privacy, cry 'Our bad!' and roll it back when users and/or privacy advocates complain. Then wait awhile, and do whatever it is Facebook planned to do anyway. Voila! Boiled frog."
Or as Facebook VP Elliot Schrage bluntly (if less colorfully) put things in the midst of a similar uproar last year: If you don't want Facebook to share your personal information, don't share your personal information with Facebook.

Facebook will soon share users’ phone numbers and addresses with 3rd parties - Yahoo! News

This is total BULL CRAP!! Why don't they share our passwords too?
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I guess.. this is is where we move on from fb to the next best thing?
myspace facebook..now what? diaspora?:P:P
 
Why would anyone share phone numbers and addresses on FB?
 
Banjo said:
Why would anyone share phone numbers and addresses on FB?
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I gotta agree with this part - it really isn't a good idea to post your contact information online. Too often I find people doing this and subsequently making themselves vulnerable to attacks or criminal activity (i.e. burglary, rape, murder, harassment, stalking, etc). I absolutely refuse to share a lot of information on Facebook. If someone really needs or wants to contact me using a method other than Facebook they can always send me a message and ask for my contact information.

violet said:
I guess.. this is is where we move on from fb to the next best thing?
myspace facebook..now what? diaspora?:P:P
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I don't think Facebook will see a mass exodus to other social networking websites anytime soon. It's very mainstream nowadays - one of the top social networking websites. Sure there are other websites like Google Buzz that are currently trying to compete with Facebook, but they have privacy issues as well. In order for LOTS of users to leave Facebook someone will need to come up with a social networking website that has superior content AND actually respects the users' needs/wants for privacy.

I honestly can't say that I'm surprised that Facebook would try to pull a stunt like this though. They've shown blatant disrespect for user privacy way too often in the past by fucking around with settings and content (if it isn't broken, don't try to fix it!). And I don't believe that they actually listen to any feedback from the users at all.
 
Wirelessly posted (sent from a smartphone. )

So they can make money off us.
 
Irish said:
I gotta agree with this part - it really isn't a good idea to post your contact information online. Too often I find people doing this and subsequently making themselves vulnerable to attacks or criminal activity (i.e. burglary, rape, murder, harassment, stalking, etc). I absolutely refuse to share a lot of information on Facebook. If someone really needs or wants to contact me using a method other than Facebook they can always send me a message and ask for my contact information.
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believe me - ya'all have unintentionally and unconsciously posted a lot of info out there in public... AND..... ya'all have unintentionally and unconsciously consented to your private information being shared and used by 3rd parties.

You have no problem with posting pictures/blogs/stuff about your life in forums.
You have no problem with shopping memberships.
You have no problem with cable/internet bills.
You have no problem with amazon.
You have no problem with gmail.
You have no problem with EZ Pass.

All above... your private information is already being shared among 3rd parties without your knowledge otherwise... how else you're getting great deals/service/convenience you're getting? Your customer experience is enhanced by their utilization and sharing of your private information.

Irish said:
Unfortunately I don't think Facebook will see a mass exodus to other social networking websites anytime soon. It's very mainstream nowadays - one of the top social networking websites. Sure there are other websites like Google Buzz that are currently trying to compete with Facebook, but they have privacy issues as well. In order for LOTS of users to leave Facebook someone will need to come up with a social networking website that has superior content AND actually respects the users' needs/wants for privacy.
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lol. respect privacy? in order to search or connect to people, you need to put up some info. if you are deeply concerned about privacy, then don't sign up for facebook. simple as that.

Irish said:
I honestly can't say that I'm surprised that Facebook would try to pull a stunt like this though. They've shown blatant disrespect for user privacy way too often in the past by fucking around with settings and content (if it isn't broken, don't try to fix it!). And I don't believe that they actually listen to any feedback from the users at all.
Click to expand...
stunt? blatant disrespect? not at all. Facebook did a huge job to revamp its privacy feature. Now - you have an INCREASED control over your privacy. No other social networking sites do this.
 
Jiro said:
um.... if you're gonna do Diaspora.... then why would you have a problem with facebook?

:dunno:
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There are too many instances of people pretending to be someone else. Like the identity issues. I have all the privacy measures taken, but I still get emails from people I don't know with a subject line that says - Got your email from Facebook.
 
Really best way don't put address and phone number on FB and make sure email is set on private.
 
Speedy Hawk said:
Really best way don't put address and phone number on FB and make sure email is set on private.
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but you give that info without hesistation to credit card, store membership card, etc... and that info is being shared to 3rd parties
 
KristinaB said:
There are too many instances of people pretending to be someone else. Like the identity issues. I have all the privacy measures taken, but I still get emails from people I don't know with a subject line that says - Got your email from Facebook.
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so what? you will still get scams wherever you are.
 
Speedy Hawk said:
Really best way don't put address and phone number on FB and make sure email is set on private.
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Luckily, my address and phone number isn't on FB. My email is set to private with only friends having access. That still did not stop some "Joe Blow" from "Timbucktoo" from sending me an email. I did not open it. I average 2-3 emails a week from someone who got it from FB. I think I will remove it if I can.
 
KristinaB said:
Luckily, my address and phone number isn't on FB. My email is set to private with only friends having access. That still did not stop some "Joe Blow" from "Timbucktoo" from sending me an email. I did not open it. I average 2-3 emails a week from someone who got it from FB. I think I will remove it if I can.
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the reason why you're getting lot of FB scams is because you're using FB games and some other things.

I limited my exposure.
 
Jiro said:
the reason why you're getting lot of FB scams is because you're using FB games and some other things.

I limited my exposure.
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Yeah - I think I am going to stop all games and such.
 
Jiro said:
but you give that info without hesistation to credit card, store membership card, etc... and that info is being shared to 3rd parties
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Only credit card then, they do need information to send me bill.

KristinaB said:
Luckily, my address and phone number isn't on FB. My email is set to private with only friends having access. That still did not stop some "Joe Blow" from "Timbucktoo" from sending me an email. I did not open it. I average 2-3 emails a week from someone who got it from FB. I think I will remove it if I can.
Click to expand...

Probably comes from games. It happens if you got apps on FB and they probably got it from them.
 
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