News - All users to be searchable in Facebook as privacy setting axed

[HEXUS]

‘Who can look up your Timeline by name’ privacy settings get removed.

Read more.

[Noxvayl]

I would be concerned if it meant that when they search for you they can see most of your profile information, that would cause me to delete my profile. However it sounds like you'll be findable via search but if you choose not to accept messages from strangers and make sure the content on your profile is hidden to anyone other than your friends then your search listing is little more than your name and picture which isn't a big deal.

[deejayburnout]

one of the many reasons why i dont use FB

[Lanky123]

Couldn't care less. My attitude to FB security is to make sure I don't put anything on there that I would be concerned about being completely public. That way I don't have to worry about any of the privacy settings or any potential cock-up by facebook themselves...

[Saracen]

Are any HEXUS readers concerned over this Facebook privacy feature removal?

Nope. Not in the slightest.

As far as I'm concerned, Facebook have already amply and repeatedly demonstrated that, if you use it, you surrender any notion of privacy over information you provide to or through it to Facebook's whim.

Therefore, I don't use Facebook, and that isn't going to change, now or ever. So, I don't care, personally, what Facebook's privacy settings are, were or will be.

As for people that do use Facebook, it's for them to decide if they care. Also, for them to decide whether they trust that if they decide to quit FB and remove their profile, it actually gets deleted, or just gets hidden from public view. Again, personally, I don't trust that anything I tell them actually would be deleted.

But does my view, or that of anyone with a similar perspective, matter to or affect FB in any way whatsoever? Clearly it won't matter a jot, because they won't care what people that are never going to be customers think.

Actual users need to decide if they'll surrender privacy and control over it to FB and to their decisions over what changes may occur in privacy settings. If they aren't willing to surrender that, limit the damage and quit now. If they are willing, then they can't really moan, or be terribly surprised, if settings change. After all, the FB leopard isn't likely to change its spots, and to horribly mix my animal metaphors, if you lie down with dogs, don't be surprised if you get fleas.

[3dcandy]

Nope - hate to agree with Saracen but it's up to the users....

[aramil]

Nope. Not in the slightest.

As far as I'm concerned, Facebook have already amply and repeatedly demonstrated that, if you use it, you surrender any notion of privacy over infirmation you provide to or through it to Facebook's whim.

Therefore, I don't use Facebook, and that isn't going to change, now or ever. So, I don't care, personally, what Facebook's privacy settings are, were or will be.

As for people that do use Facebook, it's for them to decide if they care. Also, for them to decide whether they trust that if they decide to quit FB and remove their profile, it actually gets deleted, or just gets hidden from public view. Again, personally, I don't trust that anything I tell them actually would be deleted.

But does my view, or that of anyone with a similar perspective, matter to or affect FB in any way whatsoever? Clearly it won't matter a jot, because they won't care what people that are never going to be customers think.

Actual users need to decide if they'll surrender privacy and control over it to FB and to their decisions over what changes may occur in privacy settings. If they aren't willing to surrender that, limit the damage and quit now. If they are willing, then they can't really moan, or be terribly surprised, if settings change. After all, the FB leopard isn't likely to change its spots, and to horribly mix my animal metaphors, if you lie down with dogs, don't be surprised if you get fleas.

This should be etched in stone and placed in a public place for all to see.

[ZaO]

I don't use my real name on there and don't post anything I would care about the world seeing because I trust FB 0%. They've already done things like shared my phone number with everyone without even telling me they were doing it. They also stole all my phone contacts without telling me. I will never use the phone app again and am very careful with it when I use it in my browser. Data mining operation to the max.

[kingpotnoodle]

As far as I'm concerned, Facebook have already amply and repeatedly demonstrated that, if you use it, you surrender any notion of privacy over information you provide to or through it to Facebook's whim.

Totally agree, users have to remember that Facebook is not private, it's not the place for secrets and personal information. Any privacy settings are just hiding things from other users and not from FB, deleted stuff is probably still in the FB database.

[AGTDenton]

They need to make lists a lot easier to use and manage. But then again I dont have any real information on there. Whenever they insist on information I make it up like DOB, place of birth, current location etc... etc...
I also seem to have confused the system by saying I worked for a company in 1900 yet was born at some point in the 1970's

There is no law that says you need to give facebook any real information so why people do it I don't know. If someone knows me they know what is and is not real.

Only thing I wish I had done is use my nickname as whenever you apply for a job your facebook page will reveal stuff about you, doesnt matter if its all neutral, unbiased, friendly, happy, they have a profile of you before you walk in the door for that interview.

[DanceswithUnix]

This should be etched in stone and placed in a public place for all to see.

Then I suggest it gets posted to facebook and marked as private, then just wait a few months

[Saracen]

....

There is no law that says you need to give facebook any real information so why people do it I don't know. If someone knows me they know what is and is not real.

....

Well, yeah, there is. Not law as in criminal statute, but in opening an FB account, you are entering into a contract, and are bound by the T&C's, up to the point where any individual term might be held as illegal but a court with jurisdiction.

And 4.1 of FB's T&C's says

You will not provide any false personal information on Facebook, or create an account for anyone other than yourself without permission.

In practice, all that's likely to happen if you get caught is that your account will be closed. But it does also depend what the account is used for.

For instance, also note 16.2

If anyone brings a claim against us related to your actions, content or information on Facebook, you will indemnify and hold us harmless from and against all damages, losses, and expenses of any kind (including reasonable legal fees and costs) related to such claim.

Especially note that bit about indemnifying them for legal costs. In other words, if YOU cause them to incur legal fees, YOU will pay those costs. And, for instance in defamation cases, that can amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds.

If, therefore, your use of false information results in a "claim" for damages, losses or expenses of any kind, YOU have agreed to pay both those losses, expenses, etc, AND any legal costs.

So at one end of the spectrum, false information is breach of contract leading to account closure, and at the other extreme end, it opens you up to a potentially bankruptcy-inducing lawsuit.

[crossy]

Are any HEXUS readers concerned over this Facebook privacy feature removal?

I'm not concerned, but I am mightily amused by it. Folks keep saying "Ooh, you really need to be on Facebook", so this is just more ammunition to throw back at them as to why I'm a refusenik.

While I tolerate Google, when it comes to Facebook I take a Saracenic view - agreeing 100% with post #5 - and wanting to steer clear. TBH I'm getting less and less impressed with Twitter too - so may consider removing my account for that shortly.

I'm also beginning to see that there's something to that view I heard months ago that the way that some organisations treat their customers is akin to a low-level virtual slavery. That is, it's not your data, it's theirs and you're only allowed to use it in ways that they explicitly permit.

[Otherhand]

I cancelled my account when FB claimed a $0.5bn rebate on tax they never paid in the first place. They're traitors for doing that at all, but to do so during a recession is pure evil.

That said, I haven't stopped using GMail even though Google's nearly as bad, so I am a hypocrite.

[devBunny]

"Apparently only “a small percentage of people” were using this setting. "

That's okay then. Only “a small percentage of people” might get pissed off and leave the site. Then FaceBook can look for another small percentage if users to discourage.

[GeorgeStorm]

I don't tend to consider anything on their private, apart from the direct messages to other friends on there (although the NSA etc can probably read all of them without issue if they wanted to).

In general I don't post anything, and even if I do it's nothing that I'm worried about other people knowing really.