Phone Numbers (yours & friends) Exposed on FaceBook

 Privacy & Facebook, Privacy on the Internet, Secrecy on the Internet  No Responses »
Aug 192010
 

I’ve had people commenting (complaining) on one of my privacy blogs, that their mobile number is available to view on FaceBook even when they deliberately withheld their number from their Profile.

Well, it’s the “FaceBook App” – if you download the app so that you can view and update your facebook page via your mobile, then your mobile number is automatically extracted & displayed.

For those who wish to use their mobile to check / update FaceBook…
If you have internet access on your mobile go directly to their mobile site at touch.facebook.com (type it in your browser address bar).
This way you don’t have to download the “facebook app” it’s the app that gives them access to your phone numbers (and those of your friends in the contact list / phonebook if you inadvertantly allow it).
 Posted by at 1:17 pm

FaceBook’s Privacy Policy (mandatory)

 Privacy & Facebook, Privacy on the Internet, Uncategorized  No Responses »
Nov 272009
 

Many countries have National Laws that requires a company that operates on the web and harvests personal information, to publish on their web site a “Privacy Policy” telling  users what information is being collected about them and what may happen to their information.

Because the Internet has no national borders and is truly international in nature most financially large website operators comply with even the most draconian rules for fear of expensive court action. (e.g. California’s online privacy protection law claims world wide jurisdiction because a Californian resident could use any website or online service anywhere in the world.)

FaceBook has an online Privacy Policy but in common with most other large websites and online services tells you that it may be amended at any time.      (Amending the terms of a privacy policy may have the effect of releasing some of your data that you previously thought was safe)      Because of the various laws & rules, they have to tell you if the privacy policy is changing, FaceBook do this on an obscure page called “FaceBook Site Governance” the best way to protect yourself is to visit this page and click on the button to “become a fan” once you are a fan of “Site Governance” you will be informed if the privacy policy is going to change.