An internet security consultant has demonstrated the potential for abuse on Facebook by "scraping" the details of 100 million users from the information they have made publicly available on their profiles. He has published a database of their names, but not their e-mails and telephone numbers etcetera – although he has those, too.
This is a stark demonstration of a point I've made on this site and in public before (along with a separate point about the dangers of incompetently administering personal data). The internet is not a private place. Stop broadcasting things about yourself if you wish them to remain private.
Not everyone will be as scrupulous as Mr Bowles, and everyone using Facebook or other social networking sites should now think about this incident long and hard before they put private information on their profiles. Those with such material already there should think seriously about taking it down. Those who wish to keep such information online should use the privacy settings available to them to restrict their availability.
So, point well made, Mr Bowles, and I hope that people heed your warning… now can you please safely dispose of the data you've collected..?
By Alex Deane
-
Slacker
-
Purlieu