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Jul - News - 100 million Facebook profiles now available for the public New poll - New thread - New reply
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FieryIce

Luigi
Level: 119


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Since: 12-18-08

From: Chicago

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Posted on 07-29-10 04:47:54 AM (last edited by FieryIce at 07-29-10 01:48 AM) Link | Quote
Edit: Gah, I messed up the thread title! That's what happens when it's almost 2am and I'm in a rush to go to sleep.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/202126/100m_facebook_profiles_now_available_for_download.html?tk=hp_new

One hundred million Facebook user profiles containing personal information such as e-mail addresses and phone numbers, are now available as a 2.8GB torrent download. Ron Bowes of Skull Security created the torrent using a Web crawler program, harvesting data from public profiles of users who have chosen not to change their privacy settings.

The file contains information for 1 in every 5 Facebook users, all those who are currently listed in the Facebook open access directory. Nothing is illegal about the torrent, because it simply uses data that is available to the public. Even those who have secured their own Facebook page may not be completely out of the clear. In a statement on his website Bowes said:

"...this is a scary privacy issue. I can find the name of pretty much every person on Facebook...Once I have the name and URL of a user, I can view, by default, their picture, friends, information about them, and some other details. If the user has set their privacy higher, at the very least I can view their name and picture. So, if any searchable user has friends that are non-searchable, those friends just opted into being searched, like it or not! "

Privacy is a huge concern for many Facebook users, and has put the social networking site in the news over and over again. While Facebook does have quite a few privacy options in place, it often makes understanding and finding those options as an individual user fairly complex. The process of making your Facebook profile unsearchable requires going through numerous different menu pages, a process that might frustrate some users into just not doing it at all.

If you do remove yourself from the directory you will also make it difficult if not impossible for new people to find you on the site. Many Facebook users may choose to leave the setting unchanged, simply so they can be found by new people.

What about you? Have you made your profile unsearchable on Facebook, or are you comfortable with having your information included in the torrent file?


I'm safe, my profile only displays my name and a single photo to the public ... the rest is only available to who I add as friend. But, what about you?
Darkdata
Ruins!? ♥
Level: 103


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Since: 07-04-07


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Posted on 07-29-10 04:59:56 AM Link | Quote
I'm fine, my profile is locked down/nothing major on it.

Oh poor facebook. Major news corps are going to be reporting this more now.

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— FPzero —
9590



Post 8952/9597
Active 5.5 years ago
Posted on 07-29-10 05:07:21 AM Link | Quote
I avoid this issue by simply not using it. I haven't checked my page in months, haven't updated in probably a year.

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Taryn

Passed away.

Thanks for being a part of us, even if it wasn't always on the best of terms.

1987-2014


Level: 204


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Since: 09-01-09

From: Seattle

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Posted on 07-29-10 05:15:34 AM Link | Quote
I don't use Facebook either. Everyone nowadays seems to use it though, IRL people are surprised that I cling to boards/AIM/IRC like it's still 10 years ago

Hey, at least it's not MySpace with the horrible colours and autoplaying music and total lack of uppercase letters.

And now I have another reason not to use it. I like having at least a small amount of privacy.

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Rachel Mae

Creature of Chaos
Level: 141


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Since: 07-03-07

Pronouns: she/her
From: Foxglen

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Posted on 07-29-10 05:42:31 AM Link | Quote
Never had an account, likely never will.

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Rena
I had one (1) message in Discord deleted and proceeded to make a huge, huge mess about how it was a violation of free speech and how moderators are supposed to be spam janitors and nobody should have the right to tell me not to talk about school shootings
Level: 135


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Since: 07-22-07

Pronouns: he/him/whatever
From: RSP Segment 6

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Posted on 07-29-10 05:50:00 AM Link | Quote
07-29-10 12:50:00 AM
Post #3483
This is exactly the sort of reason I deleted my account a while ago. (I wonder if it's in there though? As far as I know most things were private anyway, so meh.)

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[loading witty comment...]
why not?
Kles

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Posted on 07-29-10 10:33:23 AM Link | Quote
Originally posted by FirePhoenix
I avoid this issue by simply not using it. I haven't checked my page in months, haven't updated in probably a year.

That means the information you HAVE put on Facebook is all probably completely public and part of this package.
Audix

Level: 9


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Posted on 07-29-10 01:29:20 PM Link | Quote
Almost all of my info are set to be available to either "Friends" or "Friends of friends." If I understood the article correctly, I should be fine.

Originally posted by Terra
Hey, at least it's not MySpace with the horrible colours and autoplaying music and total lack of uppercase letters.


Facebook made the right decision to not allow such customization. In my opinion, one well-done profile isn't worth a hundred utterly hopeless ones.
— FPzero —
9590



Post 8954/9597
Active 5.5 years ago
Posted on 07-29-10 03:06:36 PM Link | Quote
Originally posted by Kles
Originally posted by FirePhoenix
I avoid this issue by simply not using it. I haven't checked my page in months, haven't updated in probably a year.

That means the information you HAVE put on Facebook is all probably completely public and part of this package.

Except that I've put nothing important on it. I never used it for anything so whatever's on there is probably a picture of me from 2 years ago, and maybe some other stuff that isn't of consequence, definitely not anywhere near the level of personal stuff people like to put on there.

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Drag
2640
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Posted on 07-29-10 03:23:52 PM Link | Quote
1784
I'm so glad I paid attention to the privacy settings on FB and changed them so nobody can see my shit if they're not friends with me.

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Danielle
600
I like chicks.
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Since: 05-03-09

From: California

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Posted on 07-29-10 05:22:22 PM Link | Quote
nensondubois
seek help please
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Since: 05-30-10


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Posted on 07-29-10 11:04:41 PM Link | Quote
Glad I don't a have a Facebook account with all this scary crap out there.

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Lyskar
12210
-The Chaos within trumps the Chaos without-
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Posted on 07-29-10 11:22:00 PM Link | Quote
Stats
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Metal_Man88's Post
No Facebook account, no Myspace account, not even a Youtube account.

Ya only put your information on Facebook if you want it stolen, anyway.

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Life is a mystery, unlike death.
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Zero One
5170
And as we fall the spirit carries on,
That a hero'll come and save us all,
As we call the ones we left below,
We all dream of the day we rise above
Level: 129


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Since: 05-24-10

From: Delta Quadrant

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Posted on 07-30-10 10:54:23 AM Link | Quote
Just occured to me. The most any non-friend is going to see is my name and Samus with the Gravity Suit

____________________
"The last Metroid is in captivity."
And yet, the galaxy is STILL fucked.
Orlandu


Holy SwordsMan
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From: Las Vegas, NV

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Posted on 07-30-10 01:31:40 PM Link | Quote
I'm not really worried. Most information you put on Facebook is available through other means. Maybe not as easy to acquire, but finding your DOB, email address, phone # etc is possible. Some people put up too much information, such as their eating habits, vacation schedule, work schedules... Thats just asking for trouble.

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Aerakin
Ye Olde Layout
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Posted on 07-31-10 01:18:30 AM Link | Quote
Originally posted by Orlandu
vacation schedule, work schedules... Thats just asking for trouble.



Yep. I'd consider this the only dangerous information on facebook.

Because having anyone know that nobody's gonna be home is pretty darn dangerous.
Gabu

Star Mario
Placeholder Ikachan until :effort: is found
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Posted on 07-31-10 02:13:27 AM Link | Quote
I'm considering having someone or myself download said file just to check if anyone I know is on there and give them a heads up.

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EpicGuy

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From: Oregon

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Posted on 07-31-10 03:46:29 AM Link | Quote
2.8Gb? Kah, my internet would die before it could manage that. I doubt I'm in it, I scrutinize everyone one of those security updates, but the rest of my high school is probably in it.

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"Am I a butterfly dreaming I am a person? Or a bowling bowl dreaming I am a plate of sashimi? Never assume that what you see and feel is real!"
Xkeeper

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Posted on 08-01-10 05:31:07 PM Link | Quote
If you have an account and at least one friend, it's 99.9% likely you're in it.

That doesn't mean it will have any data for you, however. Example: Mine would likely have the picture (from Faria) and name, little else; everything is Friends Only or Private.

That's really the only noteworthy thing about this; it just shows that even if you're "hidden" and unsearchable, you can still be pretty easily found... but it's trivial to make everything else hidden.

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Midiman

Level: 13


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Posted on 08-02-10 08:13:05 PM Link | Quote
Facebook has been having privacy issues as of late but I like how no-one *really* tries to hide information they dont want random people to know

I personally don't give two shits about my privacy being given away on facebook: it'd be my own fault for putting something on there that could be identifiable to me or give out contact information about me.

oh no you know that I live in california, have a ton of bad pictures, and post some random links all the time my life is OVER.
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Jul - News - 100 million Facebook profiles now available for the public New poll - New thread - New reply


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