56 replies to this topic

[Eddy]

And strangers can freely converse with you against your will over Facebook? Not the last time I checked...Sure, they can send you a PM but that's the same with almost any website in general...

No. They can't freely converse with you. They do try to add you but you can say no. And yes it is true that's the same with almost any website in general.

[Adem]

You can make it so strangers can't add you. Heck, you can make it so you don't even appear on the search if somebody searches your name. The privacy settings suck, but not that bad.

[Eddy]

You can make it so strangers can't add you. Heck, you can make it so you don't even appear on the search if somebody searches your name. The privacy settings suck, but not that bad.

Yeah I know. I can't really explain it properly.

[Twilight Knight]

Welcome to them interwebz, thar place where you can unleash unlimited important information about yerself!

Everyone having an internet cable plugged into their computer should realize that the internet can be a potentially dangerous place.

So don't be very surprised that Facebook has this kind of faulty things, but yes, it's unapproved that they do such while not telling their users.

[Lemon]

So for comparison, would you say that if I opened a bank account, and the bank took all the information on my form and posted it publicly on the internet, it'd be okay, because I "willingly provided it?"

It's not that cut-and-dry. People give their information to companies such as Facebook only on condition and trust: trust that the company will use the information only the way they promised to use it. If the company uses a "bait-and-switch" privacy policy, they violate that trust.
Yes, it's wise to be careful about what you say even when a conversation is supposed to be private. But that doesn't mean it's the person's "own fault" when a company violates their privacy. Blaming it on the user is like giving the company a blank check to do whatever it wants.

If it's in the contract, if you have privacy settings or choices and you neglect to look at them, and if there are many places online telling you this is what they do; than yes.

[Eddy]

31st of may is already gone. So I guess no-one is going on Facebook now.

[Adem]

I'm still using it just as much as before...

[Nathaniel]

I'm a grown man with common sense (or at least I think I have it). That has yet to fail me, and I don't expect it to anytime soon. It's quite simple for me.

[Radien]

1. The day is getting closer. The 31st of May.

Ahh. I thought you were referring to something else since you didn't specify or quote anyone.

I hope Windows Live works out for you. However, Facebook supports the features you just mentioned. See below.

And strangers can freely converse with you against your will over Facebook? Not the last time I checked...Sure, they can send you a PM but that's the same with almost any website in general...

You can disable PMs from strangers if you like. I, personally, have never gotten spam or anything undesirable by allowing anybody to PM me. My problems come from other "features."

If it's in the contract, if you have privacy settings or choices and you neglect to look at them, and if there are many places online telling you this is what they do; than yes.

So let's see... Facebook can change the terms of their privacy agreement without your prior permission, and if you don't happen to be around when they do, they are allowed to do whatever they want and pretend you approve?

I call BS. That can't be legal. Besides, even if you log on and disallow their new privacy settings, they may already have released your information to someone you told them not to.

By the way, Facebook HAS been sued over this. They've also had to make a privacy report to the U.S. Senate to show what they're doing. Just because the internet is a hazardous place for information right now doesn't mean we should allow it to be.

[Lemon]

So let's see... Facebook can change the terms of their privacy agreement without your prior permission, and if you don't happen to be around when they do, they are allowed to do whatever they want and pretend you approve?

I call BS. That can't be legal. Besides, even if you log on and disallow their new privacy settings, they may already have released your information to someone you told them not to.

By the way, Facebook HAS been sued over this. They've also had to make a privacy report to the U.S. Senate to show what they're doing. Just because the internet is a hazardous place for information right now doesn't mean we should allow it to be.

I think if they reserve the right to do so in the original contracts (which I'm sure there's a clause somewhere for) then yes. I'm not saying it's good, right, noble, or anything besides assholish, but I think it shouldn't be all to surprising and people should be on guard for things like this.

Methinks every time a person goes online they should have to view at least once a massive disclosure that reads: WARNING: YOU ARE ENTERING THE INTERNET... and then a long list of all the things that that implies.

[Radien]

I think if they reserve the right to do so in the original contracts (which I'm sure there's a clause somewhere for) then yes.

There are many things that are illegal to use as the terms of a contract. For instance, if you hire an employee, even if they say they're fine with working for less than minimum wage, you can't agree to pay them less than minimum wage; the law prevents it. Likewise, Facebook can't simply include anything they want to treat as legal in their contract.

I'm not saying it's good, right, noble, or anything besides assholish, but I think it shouldn't be all to surprising and people should be on guard for things like this.

Hey, if some of us are angry enough to be protesting the way Facebook handles our information, don't you think we EXPECT them to do it again? Being irate is not necessarily being naive.

Methinks every time a person goes online they should have to view at least once a massive disclosure that reads: WARNING: YOU ARE ENTERING THE INTERNET... and then a long list of all the things that that implies.

The same applies to life in general. Doesn't mean we can't call shenanigans and stand up for ourselves.

[Eddy]

I can't explain it properly. But I keep hearing people say that Windows Live is better than Facebook. I'm certainly confused :S