(no subject)

[tamakun]

Following along with my string of security issue posts, here's one regarding Facebook. (Thanks to ginny_t for the link that mentioned one more step.)

The problem with this one is that it's not as simple as an "Opt-Out". It's got a little more of a devious step to get it completely stopped. If you opt-out, your friends may end up passing your information along, so you have to block the Partner applications, even if you're not using them.

So, here's a handy Guide:
-Visit Facebook and click Privacy Settings, then Applications and Websites. Click on "Edit Settings" under "Instant Personalization Pilot Program" and deselect the one checkbox there.
-It will bring up a window "warning" you. Before clicking Confirm, click the "Learn More" link and open that in another window/tab.
-The "Learn More" jumps to a Help page, where there's a FAQ about the Opt-Out. On that page there's links to the three applications MicrosoftDocs.com, Pandora, and Yelp. Open those pages and Block the applications.
-Click "Confirm" on that other window/tab.

All the links that I've linked to should theoretically work for any logged-in Facebook user - if you go to the four pages and uncheck the box on the first, and block the other three, then you should be good. *sigh* What a lot of work to just opt-out. If telemarketers would be this hard to stop there'd be a law -- oh wait, there is one, isn't there...? And there are some senators that don't like the Facebook change, either...

Look, I'm all for open connectivity, having one unified profile somewhere so that we don't have to keep updating hundreds of separate profiles for separate websites, stating that we like cheese or the latest anime, but I don't like how much of this Data Mining goes on...

As I mentioned in Ginny's journal, I have to wonder if Facebook is monitoring the number of "opt-out" clicks versus the number of application-blocks.

Comments

[ravenworks.livejournal.com]

Huh -- it was already unchecked for me! So how do I get to the FAQ page now. :x

[tamakun.livejournal.com]

Well, that's odd! I wonder if that means you now have to opt-in (due to pressure), or if new members aren't part of the pilot program...

Regardless, here's the FAQ question (http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=17105) that links to the -- oh wait, the three programs to block are listed above, but here's the full FAQ page anyways (http://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy&section=applications&field=instant_personalization#!/help/?page=1068). It's the fourth-from-the-bottom that mentions the Instant Personalization Program.

[ravenworks.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much. :D They're all blocked now!

[tamakun.livejournal.com]

And interestingly enough, now that I blocked those applications, I can't access their pages at all!