Paul Fenwick graced us with the following presentation at Barcamp Melbourne. Armed with only the documentation from Facebook’s API he proceded to submit queries to their query engine and it is amazing what he dug up on the volunteers who agreed to let him “hack” their accounts.
Bottom line: Facebook apps are scary because they open your info veins via the back door of applications shared with your “friends.” I don’t know about you but I have quite a few non savvy friends who are nowhere as paranoid as I am. I like using Facebook to keep up to date with my friends, but I don’t want people dredging up stuff on me via my friends’ lack of savvy. So your only hope is to disable *ALL* facebook apps.
Good tip disabling all facebook APPS.
never add any one you don’t know, and why would they wanna add you, i see there are photo stalkers using photo stalk app, scary people.
be careful with facebook apps, it’s because facebook doesnt doing a security check to every of apps, thereis no warranty using facebook apps
“Use Facebook apps on your own Risk”
Are we talking ALL apps here? Even apps like iLike? I’d love to scare some of my FB friends into deleting apps like Farmville so I don’t have to ignore their status updates!
I knew my fear of using Facebook apps wasn’t irrational. I use FB a bit but hate it at the same time. Really don’t like people knowing much of my business.
hey cool site!
I too have fallen victim to this very addictive game. I also got a bunch of
my friends addicted to it as well. hehe… Lately I’ve been trying to get
ahead of them so I got a Farmville leveling guide.
If anyone here is interested in getting a jump up on the competition check it
out.
I agree that Facebook is dangerous in that sort of way and the only way to make sure that our data is visible only to people we want to is not to use any applications. But on the other way when you come to social networking system you need to know that your data will never be safe for sure. It is just a kind of place where total anonymity is not possible.
Well that was a fascinating video. I’ve actually heard of cases were students have been convicted of things like underage drinking and other offenses from pictures and information posted on facebook. I was really surprised when he found information from the most private accounts. I guess the simple rule is don’t put in a lot of information on your account and don’t use apps.
Oh wow. I watched in shock throughout that entire video. I really worry about the information I show or send using facebook and am pretty tempted to just deactivate my account. I read somewhere that facebook has everything you’ve ever written or shared saved and that they can use your information however they like.
Oh wow is right.
everything disabled. thank you for this post!
Whoa, didn’t thought facebook apps is that scary. Thanks for the info but i just can’t disable all the apps.
Gotta take my chances this time
Yikes, Thanks for the heads up.
Yeah, I take my chances a bit too. I only allow apps that offer me some real value in exchange for the risk. None of those pure narcisisistic how many cats do you have? quiz things. And it has gotten somewhat better since I posted this.