Facebook Privacy Breach: 3 Simple Settings You Need To Know NOW

Facebook is in the hotseat Monday following a report by the Wall Street Journal that Facebook applications "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."

The privacy breach, which involved the sharing of users' unique Facebook IDs, may have affected tens of millions of Facebook app users and is in violation of Facebook's policies. The apps found to be sharing users' personal information include FarmVille, Texas HoldEm, Mafia Wars, and more. (See them here)

Facebook issue a statement in response to the allegations saying that "press reports have exaggerated the implications of sharing a UID [or Facebook ID]" and noting that "In most cases, developers did not intend to pass this information, but did so because of the technical details of how browsers work."

Although Facebook says it is "committed to addressing" this issue and temporarily disabled some of the apps that were in violation of its policies, there are some privacy settings you should know in order to keep your information secure. See 3 key tips for protecting your privacy in the slideshow below. Got other suggestions? Let us know in the comments below. Read more about the privacy breach here.

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Change What Information Apps Can Access

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With just a few clicks, you can adjust what information from your Facebook account applications can access, as well as control what kind of interaction the apps can have with you. Want to keep an app from posting on your Facebook Wall? Or stop an app from accessing your data even when you're not using the app? Here's how: Log in to Facebook, then go to Account (top right) > Privacy Settings > Applications and Websites (Bottom right) > "Edit Settings" under "Applications You Use" > then click "Edit Settings" to adjust each app. Some information (such as the ability to send you an email, access your basic information, as well as your profile information) may be required, whereas other settings are optional and you can remove the app's ability to contact your or access certain information.

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With just a few clicks, you can adjust what information from your Facebook account applications can access, as well as control what kind of interaction the apps can have with you. Want to keep an app from posting on your Facebook Wall? Or stop an app from accessing your data even when you're not using the app? Here's how:
Log in to Facebook, then go to Account (top right) > Privacy Settings > Applications and Websites (Bottom right) > "Edit Settings" under "Applications You Use" > then click "Edit Settings" to adjust each app.

Some information (such as the ability to send you an email, access your basic information, as well as your profile information) may be required, whereas other settings are optional and you can remove the app's ability to contact your or access certain information.

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Comments

[pal2u]

07:18 AM on 10/21/2010

Facebook is guilty of invading user privacy, much worse than anyone realizes! For months, they have been holding user accounts or access to groups hostage unless users give out their credit card or cell phone numbers. Facebook says this information is needed for so-called verification purposes, when infact they want this information to charge users credits for 3rd party applications and games; the same 3rd party sites that have access to their information. Interesting that Facebook starting doing this around the same time it was announced that Facebook gift cards would be sold at Target stores. People who have given this information out, are receiving unauthorized charges on their credit cards. The reason Facebook wants cell phone numbers is because they can be charged like a credit card. I found a group on Facebook called NO TO FACEBOOK REQUEST FOR CREDIT CARD AND MOBILE PHONE INFORMATION. Here is a link to it: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=125957330783122

[rishabh singhvi]

01:14 AM on 10/20/2010

Guys we should really learn from our mistakes and not continue to use facebook. I put my profile out there only to realize that third parties were getting access to it. facebook doesnt give a crap about our privacy, and we have to realize that and move on. just have a look at Mycube and Diaspora. these guys really seem to be making an effort to give us users complete privacy and control over our digital lives. i think its time for us to move on as soon as they open

[twhiting9275]

10:48 AM on 10/20/2010

yeah, and while you're at it, don't use Windows either, because all applications that use Windows share information too. it's Window's fault that applications are bad as well!
In fact, just go and bury your computer, because no matter what OS, you're going to get things leaked due to poorly developed applications.

[pepimartinez]

10:26 AM on 10/19/2010

If you don't want information about you out there for public consumption, don't post it in a public forum. Period.

[drmlgcc]

10:42 PM on 10/20/2010

indeed! why do people find it so hard to believe that there is NO SUCH THING as privacy on the internet?

[spartanmom]

09:38 AM on 10/19/2010

BTW
here is a list of all the entities you are allowing access to your computer by being at this hp page.

google-analytics.com
crwdcntrl.net
huffpost.com
quantserve.com
facebook.net
buzzfeed.com
scorecardresearch.com
live.net
doubleclick.net
huffingtonpost.com

you only need two of these for this page and one more for pages with video but that changes depending on the source. The rest of them are collecting information about your location and browsing habits.

[bryanzth]

10:17 AM on 10/19/2010

OK, I get it. But now, we should limit the cookies that these things can set in our browser. So which ones? ;0)

BZ.

[Marcus01]

11:04 AM on 10/19/2010

There's also bkrtx.com and adnxs.com. It is truly amazing how much JavaScript runs on HuffPo pages, all of which has potential to gather info about you.

However it's not an issue if you run Firefox with the NoScript plugin. It will automatically disable it.

[spartanmom]

09:42 PM on 10/19/2010

roger that

[Mark Walters]

09:07 AM on 10/19/2010

Here's a concept....if you want to maintain your privacy and make sure none of your information is being collected or shared, then don't put any of it out there. Anything you commit to the web, no matter what is said or promised, has the potential of being shared or released. It's also out there forever. So, if you're not comfortable with that, then don't join social networking sites. Problem solved.

[spartanmom]

09:39 AM on 10/19/2010

see my post above, if it makes it past the mods.

[bryanzth]

10:19 AM on 10/19/2010

Affirmative.

BZ.

[jabreal00]

08:57 AM on 10/19/2010

And people wonder why Facebook is clamoring to get into the smartphone market with it's on OS? Android OS phones also stealthily transmit user information. Afterall, Google's business model is on selling ads.

[spartanmom]

08:53 AM on 10/19/2010

3 things to keep to yourself on facebook

Your birth date
Your location
Your family relationships

Just because facebook asks doesn't mean you have to tell them.

[Mikeeee]

08:41 AM on 10/19/2010

"Ever tried to leave facebook and found out they only allow you to "deactivate" your account? All your personal data, including photos, interests, friends etc will still be saved indefinitely! You don’t have to be a conspiracist to find this quite fishy (or simply annoying)!"
"There is no way to have facebook actually delete your data as the Terms of Service gives them the right to keep it."

Doesn't sound like facebook was set up or is being run by an honest person.

[bogey1]

10:14 AM on 10/19/2010

you are correct, doesn't sound like facebook is being run by an honest person

[Doc Wattson]

07:37 AM on 10/19/2010

HP is just as bad if not worse then Facebook when it comes to whoring out its users. Just look at this article. If HP really cared about user integrity would it have one of their cash sucking slide shows to tell you how to protect yourself? Every time you change a slide they charge their advertisers for another hit. Why do you think HP has all those T&A front page stories were people have to go through a slideshow to see it all.

[XPat Lib]

08:19 AM on 10/19/2010

Well, duh. How do you think websites like HP make money?

[robbor]

07:29 AM on 10/19/2010

i've got an instant cure that will give you instant peace of mind - don't use facebook. now get your butt out into some fresh air and go car surfing

[phantomcat]

07:59 AM on 10/19/2010

I'm tired of people like you telling me how to use my time. Get a job and a haircut! he he

[AndrewInToronto]

08:51 AM on 10/19/2010

This exchange gave me a welcomed chuckle this morning. :-) Cheers

[clabberty]

09:52 AM on 10/19/2010

Don't say that. You know what will happen - some doofus will go car surfing and web surfing at the same time.

[LONDON3]

07:23 AM on 10/19/2010

Here's a NOVEL idea.... NEVER set up an acct with Facebook to begin with. Disaterous is what Facebook and MySpace are ..... what is the need for social networking? Use basic email to correspond, try the ole skool method of writing a letter, call folks on their phones, text them ..... People that have a great "need" to be on Facebook have nothing better to do with their lives, are very lonely or need attention. One day these social networking sites are gonna bite you in the a$$$$$ .... all while you are exposing your whole self to the world. I know already tons of Facebook fans are gonna leap at the opportunity to slam me for my comments (as IF)..... BUT like one user says below.... Simply use false info for posting and keep your valued "personal" info personal. All for boycotting social networking sites say "I" !!!! "I"

[AgathaX]

08:41 AM on 10/19/2010

I set up a facebook account a few weeks ago for the first time. No friends. Not quite my name. I did it solely because I was interested in viewing the Rally for Sanity page. It is the sole page I have viewed, and I intend to discontinue as soon as I'm done. I would never sign into some other site with my facebook info. I would never use facebook to contact anyone I know. I like the concept of a facebook-type format for staying in touch with extended family, but facebook is way to aggressive for comfort. The idea that they are trying to get me to funnel all my routine internet activity through them creeps me out.

[iamsnowking3009]

08:55 AM on 10/19/2010

If it wasnt for social networking, I wouldnt have reconnected with friends that I hadnt talked to since High School graduation. Not all of it is "evil" I know people who have reconnected with lost love ones because of social networking sites. Texting and cell phones are no more "personal" than the internet because cell companies document everything that you do. Same goes for e-mails.

[carolinealicia]

01:25 PM on 10/19/2010

THANK YOU! People complaining about how evil social networking is are ridiculous! Everyone has coworkers, classmates, childhood friends and no number, email, or address to contact them with. Sure you could go the Intellus route and pay cash to find contact information (which could possibly be incorrect), but FB and the like are both popular and free increasing your chances of reconnecting. The only people having problems with FB are the ones who deem it necessary to update their status constantly, upload iffy photos, so on so forth without using any discretion.

[bagelmaven]

07:22 AM on 10/19/2010

IF they do not control Facebook better and INSURE privacy then I will cancel the whole GD THING!!! DO NOT TRUST ANYONE!!! and I DO NOT. JERKS total JERKS out there

[max08]

06:42 AM on 10/19/2010

HuffPo...do your bit for social responsibility. Cut all HuffPo ties to Facebook...now.

[Doc Wattson]

07:26 AM on 10/19/2010

Why would they do that? HP is worse then Facebook.

[WthyrBendragon]

07:34 AM on 10/19/2010

That's why I set up my HP account with as much bogus information as possible. My real name is Elderberry Clodfelter. ... or is it?

[max08]

06:40 AM on 10/19/2010

Profound naivete. Doesn't HuffPo understand this technology.

IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS ARE. Your data is shared irrespective of the settings. The so-called Facebook ID is reduced to a hex # that can't be identified be as a FB ID (hence the denials, and blubber [BS] about browser tech) but is used as a unique identifier to collate the data.

Aren't you catching onto this?

[twhiting9275]

11:16 AM on 10/20/2010

Even better, when you INSTALL these apps, you give them permission to access this stuff. So, who's responsible? You? Facebook? No, the APP DEVELOPER is responsible here!!! Facebook isn't responsible for what 3rd party devs do!!!

[NightEditor]

04:57 AM on 10/19/2010

Sounds like a great opportunity for a new social page.
Whatever happened to myspace?

[drmlgcc]

10:46 PM on 10/20/2010

its still there, and it has the same problems, theyre just not written about, since nobody uses myspace. dont forget, myspace is owned by good ole rupert m, FOX mastermind!