PRIVACY CONCERNS WITH FACE BOOK APPLICATIONS (GAMES, MESSENGER)

Image Source [1]

In Facebook, 3rd party "Apps" are pieces of software that let Facebook's 500 million users play games or share common interests with one another. Many of the most popular applications, or "apps," on the social-networking site Facebook Inc. have been transmitting identifying information in effect, providing access to people's names and, in some cases, their friends' names to dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies [2].

At this point, all your data is shared with applications that you install. Which means now you're not only trusting Facebook, but the application developers, too, many of whom are too small to worry much about keeping your data secure. And some of whom might be even more ethically challenged than Facebook. In practice, what this means is that all your data - all of it - must be effectively considered public, unless you simply never use any Facebook applications at all. 

Image source [1]

In the recent past, Facebook’s released statements that it had found several Facebook applications were “providing access to people’s names and, in some cases, their friends’ names” to advertisers and Internet tracking companies. The report said that all 10 of the most popular applications on Facebook, including games like FarmVille and Mafia Wars, were transmitting user IDs to third parties. Three of those applications were also transmitting information about a user’s friends. The Facebook games also seem to be against privacy and security as they encourage users to connect with a lot of people they don’t really know. For an instant, Farmville game encourages this by making level ups easier by having more Farmville neighbors, same goes to Mafia Wars and Café World.

The new Facebook Messenger app has many people concerned because the app can access their personal information and record conversations without notifying users. The app will also be able to access your contact list, and see your phone call log including who you called and how long the call lasted. Downloading the app also gives permission for Facebook to send photos back and forth. Facebook says it has disabled thousands of applications at times for violating its policies. Its unclear how many, if any, of those cases involved passing user information to marketing companies.

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RESOURCE (EXTERNAL LINKS)

[1] Facebook in Privacy breech - Referred on 2015-02-16

[2] WikiPedia  - Referred on 2015-02-16

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