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Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

alexmuir.com

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Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#21

Post by FaceKicker »

AlexMuir wrote: post #16
FaceKicker wrote: post #13

I just tried this out of curiosity, but it never asked for my phone number (not only was it not required, I didn't even have the option to provide it at any point during the sign up process). Facebook had no friend recommendations for me at all. I then tried adding my phone number to my profile (a phone number that I also have on my actual Facebook account). Went back to the home page and looked around a little more,…

http://www.facebook.com/gettingstarted.php?step=friend_reque... That's the URL that I'm still being directed to - I haven't actually clicked 'Next' yet.

On the account I just created, that URL just redirects to the home page (where it wants me to import contacts from email, etc.).

Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#22

Post by rickdale »

I deleted my facebook account in March 2010. In November, six months later, the only evidence of my account was that my facebook information was loaded onto my friends telephone. He had my profile photo, plus some random tidbits of information automatically grabbed from facebook by his phone.

Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#23

Post by AlexMuir »

FaceKicker wrote: post #21
AlexMuir wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

http://www.facebook.com/gettingstarted.php?step=friend_reque... That's the URL that I'm still being directed to - I haven't actually clicked 'Next' yet.

On the account I just created, that URL just redirects to the home page (where it wants me to import contacts from email, etc.).

Not sure what to suggest - I just hope someone else is able to replicate it or I'll look like an arse. I was on a UK IP, without erasing cookies between logging out of my old FB and creating a new one.

Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#24

Post by FaceKicker »

AlexMuir wrote: post #23
FaceKicker wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the account I just created, that URL just redirects to the home page (where it wants me to import contacts from email, etc.).

Not sure what to suggest - I just hope someone else is able to replicate it or I'll look like an arse. I was on a UK IP, without erasing cookies between logging out of my old FB and creating a new one.

I'm in the US. Regardless, I believe you, there could be any number of variables that the sign up process depends on

Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#25

Post by kunalb »

I'm not particularly sure about this, but why would revealing the people who have stored YOUR phone number to YOU be such a big deal?

I'm assuming phone number verification checks that you own the number via SMS; so it just acts as a reverse-stalker (I'd be worried about people I _don't_ know having my phone number saved).

Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#26

Post by lysol »

I was able to duplicate, but took a little bit different process. Sign up, add your mobile, confirm it, then log out and back in.

The result was definitely people who had done what the author said but it was also interspersed with friends of friends, muddying the waters a bit.

Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#27

Post by hermannj314 »

1. Some people don't realize what information Facebook is collecting, and some of those people would object if they did know. 2. Some people don't realize the way Facebook is using the information they collect, and some of those people would object if they did know.

Should it disturb us that those statements are true for millions of people? Or do we not care?

It will be interesting if we get to where Facebook is required to send a pamphlet to your house explaining how they use the information they collect about you, who they sell it to, etc. Log on to freesocialnetworkreport.com to see what information the Big 3 social networks have stored about you! See your social network score, etc.

On a different note, I do hope they harvest all the numbers for pizza places I have stored on my phone and find a way to help me get cheaper pizza.

Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#28

Post by AlexMuir »

AlexMuir wrote: post #23
FaceKicker wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the account I just created, that URL just redirects to the home page (where it wants me to import contacts from email, etc.).

Not sure what to suggest - I just hope someone else is able to replicate it or I'll look like an arse. I was on a UK IP, without erasing cookies between logging out of my old FB and creating a new one.

http://www.facebook.com/find-friends/browser/

Try that page - it shows me most of the same people at the top, and then tails off into their friends.

Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#29

Post by AlexMuir »

lysol wrote: post #26

I was able to duplicate, but took a little bit different process. Sign up, add your mobile, confirm it, then log out and back in. The result was definitely people who had done what the author said but it was also interspersed with friends of friends, muddying the waters a bit.

I'm glad you've managed to recreate. As mine was a new, friendless account my list was purely people with me in their phonebook.

Re: Facebook privacy fuckup reveals who has your number in their phone

#30

Post by derrida »

AlexMuir wrote: post #9
Kell wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is the lie. They asked the number for security reasons. I'm fine with that, i can give it to them for security reasons. BUT only for security reasons. Not for any other reason. So if they ask it for one reason and use it for another. That's bad.

And not just that - I can hide my own mobile number, that's fine. But the issue is with this cold-start page effectively showing a list of people who have my number.

Can you do anything to rule out it was the pre-existing cookies? It could be that Facebook doesn't mind people creating new profiles, as long as they know about it.
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