False Security on Facebook: Privacy & Security Problems Continue on FB

By jmacofearth On 02/07/2013 · 2 Comments

Do you trust Facebook? Do you think they have your best interest in mind when they open the Facebook universe to their Open Graph Search features? How about privacy? Do you think any of your information is actually secure from prying eyes, if those prying eyes want to see what you shared three years ago?

Aside from the fact that I can't see any letters in the image above, these little security checks on Facebook do very little to reassure me that Zuck and Co. have my best interests in mind.

A few weeks ago, a recent acquaintance mentioned looking at my Facebook profile. (Snark free future, limitless. Finding Self-Regulation on Facebook) And with that my final resistance to separating Facebook and Government was done. Two big points to remember.

1. Facebook OWNS every image and word you post on Facebook. (Forever!)

2. If Facebook opens your account for everyone to see, crawl, download, and index, you won't even know it happened. And they don't have any reason to inform you when updates to their privacy and security policies change and might expose your sensitive information.

It's a well known fact that Facebook does not erase your images, even after you've deleted them from Facebook. Why? Because they don't have to. And why would they do this? Money.

And so today, I was minding my own business, conducting 'social marketing' activities on Facebook and the above security screen came up. I WAS POSTING ON MY OWN FRIGGIN WALL.

And then this:

I'm guessing this is not a routine maintenance. Maybe one too many near misses with the captcha security system. I don't know. But I do know that all this puffery by Facebook gives most people a false sense of security. But there's nothing secure or sacred about what Facebook does, or what they are in business for.

The IPO must've changed a lot of the priorities at the top of the FB chain of command. The "innovation" RE: monitization must be in critical overdrive as the stock price continues to suck. Sure Zuck's a bazillionaire, but the majority of the investors and even investment firms must be livid at the BS pricing and hype that inflated no only Zuck's ego but his pocketbook and the pocketbooks of his inner circle.

So what's in it for you? Why do you stay on Facebook?

Here are my guesses, based on my own social media addiction and passion.

You can connect with friends and family on Facebook
Sharing is fun.
If you're single, maybe there's a friend or a friend of a friend who might think you're cute.
You work in social media, so everything you do on Facebook is an experiment of sorts. (no I don't get paid to play on Facebook, though some clients might disagree. ;-0 )
Everybody is on Facebook. Where else are you going to go?
A few Facebook connections are vital to your social life or your business. (I manage about 10 Facebook pages.)
You don't really DO Facebook, and you tell people your never ON Facebook, but you can't quite decide to DELETE your Facebook account.

Okay, for most of us Facebook is part of our lives.

As long as that's the case let's at least be clear about Facebook's intentions.

Facebook must turn HUGE profits to make the recent investors happy. And those profits are going to come from SELLING your information, and SELLING access to you through Facebook.
If Facebook owns everything you post, and they have the rights to republish or reuse it in any way they feel might PROFIT Facebook, they will eventually figure out a way to make money off your images and words and messages.
There is no part of your Facebook history that cannot be retrieved or breached during Facebook's security lapses.
You can imagine there are companies devoted to revealing your information from Facebook. Even your private information. (Likes, F-bombs, Politics) And then any business, potential client or employer, can go buy your Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest social profile. And you will be amazed at what you've said an done over the last 5+ years.
Facebook is not your friend.
You're friends on Facebook are not your friends. They are just pretending to be "connected."
Any privacy and security you think you have over your Facebook content is a joke. You are being placated by Facebook's apologies and new security measures. But they WANT to SELL YOU and YOUR DATA to any one who's in the market for it.
It won't be long before your Facebook activity will be connected to your Credit Score, you're State and Local driving records, any outstanding legal actions you are involved in. And if you think that information is not already available, well, Google yourself and see what you find.

Let's keep our eyes open in social media. Let's not assume false security and privacy that does not exist. In fact the ideas of privacy and security are against Facebook's #1 Objective. PROFIT.

If you get it straight, about Facebook's motivation, you'll probably alter your behavior on Facebook. And maybe you'll call me up for a cup of coffee rather than giving me a LIKE on Facebook and assuming we're "in-touch."

Keep It Social Out There!(tm)

@jmacofearth (also seen on Google+: jmacofearth)
permalink: http://uber.la/2013/02/facebook-privacy-fails/

Note: I know we're gonna have to talk about Google services and apps and privacy, soon.

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