Another reason not to have a facebook account.

[Ironfield]

Over 100m Facebook profiles harvested, available in torrent

By Matthew DeCarlo, TechSpot.com

Published: July 28, 2010, 5:40 PM EST

Just as concerns over Facebook privacy started to fade out of the headlines, a hacker has rekindled the fire by making over 100 million profiles available in a single gift-wrapped download. Ron Bowes of Skull Security compiled the 2.8GB torrent (which is currently available on TPB) by creating a web crawler to harvest the data of users listed on Facebook's open access directory.

The package supposedly contains the profile URLs, names, addresses, dates of birth, and phone numbers of 171 million members (around 100 million unique) – more than one in five of Facebook's half billion user base. Viewing an individual's profile gives access to their friends' pages too – even those who have made themselves non-searchable. The torrent also has the tools used to collect the data.

Since all the information is publicly available, Bowes hasn't violated any laws. This doesn't necessarily count as "failure" on Facebook's end either, but it underscores a question many have asked from initial privacy upheaval: should users be exposed by default regardless of opt-out features? If you're not sure how your account is configured, you may want to read our guide on Facebook privacy.

Source] http://www.techspot.com/news/39808-over-100m-facebook-profiles-harvested-available-in-torrent.html] (http://www.techspot.com/news/39808-over-100m-facebook-profiles-harvested-available-in-torrent.html)Source

-Ironfield

[Apparition]

I never had one and likely never will.

I don't even understand the perceived popularity of that or any social-networking site.

[StackerKen]

I have a facebook account

Facebook does not have my address or date of birth or phone number

sure they have my IP address...so does this site

[kregener]

Every dweeb I know has pestered me to open an account.

Not in this lifetime...

[willie pete]

I have a facebook account

Facebook does not have my address or date of birth or phone number

sure they have my IP address...so does this site


Same here Kenster, I have a FB a/c, but I don't use it to display ANY personal info, I use it to communicate IF I have to with individuals, I've probably signed on 2 or 3 times in a year :D

[1970 silver art]

I have a FB account. I mainly use my FB account to chat with people that I went to HS with.

[Saul Mine]

Just another way to talk to your computer. You know, since people hate to talk to each other.

[1970 silver art]

Just another way to talk to your computer. You know, since people hate to talk to each other.


It is so much better to "talk" to a "screen name" on the computer as opposed to talking to the real person behind the screen name on the computer. ;D ;D ;D

[StackerKen]

Just another way to talk to your computer. You know, since people hate to talk to each other.


To me, its Just a Way to keep in touch with family and friends

[BrewTech]

The only info that got harvested was info that people have left public. Nothing to see here. If anonymity is THE most important thing to you, you should probably stay off the Internetz.

[Glass]

there is no good reason to have one IMO. It's clear what it is and even though you might not have much information on there, other people do. Eventually they will link everyone in real life to their on line profiles. It only takes one slip sometime in the future and they can link every think they have collected on that anonymous profile to a real person.... well as real as a person can be I guess. Chances are you won't make the slip. Someone linked to you will.

moto: give em nothing, taking em no where.

works in lots of situations.

[1970 silver art]

The only info that got harvested was info that people have left public. Nothing to see here. If anonymity is THE most important thing to you, you should probably stay off the Internetz.


That is a good point. There is no such thing as anonymity and privacy on the Internet. It does not matter if you are on GSUS or some other website. As for FaceBook, a person just has to be very careful what information they put on FaceBook. Employers are also on FB and they are watching what their employees put on FB that pertains to the company they work for. People have gotten fired over what they have put on FB.