Facebook Opening to Search Engines — Save your Privacy!
Facebook is planning to open itself to Search Engines and is giving its users a few weeks to change their Privacy Settings. I logged into Facebook and saw the following message:
Check out your Public Search Listing
Now people can search for this listing from Facebook's Welcome page. In a few weeks, it may also be found through search engines like Google….You can control whether you have a public search listing, and where it appears, from your Search Privacy page.
(See Screen shot attached.) The move is obviously to attract more Traffic in terms of Page Views and new potential users. Which would translate into more Ad Revenue.
On checking the Search Privacy Page I noticed that the default setting is "Everyone" (screen shot below).
I am changing my settings to "Only My Friends" and telling all my friends to quickly change their Search Privacy settings. The reason I liked Facebook was that it was not an open platform. At its simplest the opening of Social Networks like Facebook to Search Engines should raise questions around identity theft.
I agree with what Om Malik says about the personal privacy issues involved here: Think broadly however, this is yet another small step in the overall erosion of personal privacy, thanks to the ever growing popularity of the social networks. I don’t like the direction where all this is headed…We are slowly leaving digital litter all over the web, and some day it is going to cause problems.
POSTED IN: Facebook
6 opinions for Facebook Opening to Search Engines — Save your Privacy!
Leena
Sep 5, 2007 at 3:21 am
I think by default your profile is viewable only by your friends and networks, and not everyone. Check out the first para in the Facebook policy page.
http://www.facebook.com/policy.php
ujwal tickoo
Sep 5, 2007 at 5:59 am
Hi Leena,
This is what I read within the Site for Search Privacy Settings.
“Privacy Settings for Search
Only your friends can see you in search results if they search for “ujwal tickoo” or any part of your name. People who can’t see your profile can see your profile picture, poke you, message you and send you a friend request from your search listing.”
The problem its not just my friends who know my name. Not so friendly people also could know my name and get access to details.
Easton Ellsworth
Sep 5, 2007 at 7:00 am
Thanks for the news, Ujwal!
Kimberlee Morrison
Sep 5, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Yes thank you. I really think its irresponsible for the default settings to provide the least privacy. We should have to manually make ourselves more available if we want. One of the first things I usually do when on social networking sites is check the privacy settings for this very reason. I really appreciate the update Ujwal.
Anonymous
Sep 6, 2007 at 1:26 am
I hear you both Easton and Kim. The Facebook change of plan did come as a surprise to me and as I am noticing a lot of my friends. Hopefully Facebook will reconsider/modify its plans after reading user concerns
WorkFromHomeMomma
Sep 10, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Is Facebook as safe as it used to be? Find out about how the new search engine openness may affect you and your family.
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