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Facebook Finds A New Way To Liberate Your Gmail Contact Data

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Re: Facebook Finds A New Way To Liberate Your Gmail Contact Data

#11

Post by refulgentis »

Derferman wrote: post #8
andreyf wrote: post #4

Uh, exporting your address book from Google and uploading it to Facebook is perfectly within any user's rights - it's a textbook example of data liberation. Now if only I could export my facebook pictures and easily import them into Picasa, or sync my facebook wall with my Buzz stream...

Your photos are easily accessible using the Graph API[1]. I wrote a python script which downloads all your photos and saves them to your computer[2]. However, I agree that Facebook doesn't make it easy for other web services to access stored data. [1]: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/api/photo [2]: https://github.com/derferman/scrapebook

genuine question (this sounds a little smarmy but I know nothing about Graph API or web dev at all really): How is it not easy for other web services to access this stored data when a random guy can easily throw a script on GitHub to do it?

Re: Facebook Finds A New Way To Liberate Your Gmail Contact Data

#12

Post by konad »

michaelhart wrote: post #2

Google could easily fix this w/o impacting other services: block Facebook's referrer. And then present them with an opt-in page for Google.me... BOOM! Instant win? High five.

You do know the referer header is optional don't you, I mean, you'd look pretty dumb relying on it for any web service because, you know, some crazy people turn them off altogether, perhaps with the Firefox add-on RefControl.

Re: Facebook Finds A New Way To Liberate Your Gmail Contact Data

#13

Post by buro9 »

c1sc0 wrote: post #9
michaelhart wrote: post #2

Google could easily fix this w/o impacting other services: block Facebook's referrer. And then present them with an opt-in page for Google.me... BOOM! Instant win? High five.

I'm pretty sure Facebook would then remove the href on the link & tell people to copy/paste it into their browser.

Or just put the link on a HTTPS page as referrer information isn't sent from those.

Re: Facebook Finds A New Way To Liberate Your Gmail Contact Data

#15

Post by adn37 »

michaelhart wrote: post #2

Google could easily fix this w/o impacting other services: block Facebook's referrer. And then present them with an opt-in page for Google.me... BOOM! Instant win? High five.

I do agree. Some people have referrer turned off, but afaik, they are the minority and this should do the trick. Google surely though about it.

This also works the other way. If you rely on FB assets (images, ...), they can shut your access down immediately the very same way. Can't say I like it.

Re: Facebook Finds A New Way To Liberate Your Gmail Contact Data

#16

Post by andreyf »

refulgentis wrote: post #11
Derferman wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your photos are easily accessible using the Graph API[1]. I wrote a python script which downloads all your photos and saves them to your computer[2]. However, I agree that Facebook doesn't make it easy for other web services to access stored data. [1]: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/api/photo [2]: https://github.com/derferman/scrapebook

genuine question (this sounds a little smarmy but I know nothing about Graph API or web dev at all really): How is it not easy for other web services to access this stored data when a random guy can easily throw a script on GitHub to do it?

Not sure if this is the right answer, but a guess: it's easy for other web services to access this stored data if the user provides them with their Facebook login and password, which no self-respecting service would ever ask for. Even if Google did at one point get users to give up their facebook credentials, the API's they access will probably block IP's that try to access multiple users' data in a short amount of time.

The best solution, IMO, is to use the browser as a platform: a Chrome extension can allow users to seamlessly sync data between services, because Chrome already has access both to your Facebook account and your Picasa account.

Re: Facebook Finds A New Way To Liberate Your Gmail Contact Data

#17

Post by yason »

I would never give my gmail password to any third party proxy. So this is how I imported my gmail email addresses to facebook a few years ago in the first place. I took the export from Gmail in CSV format, cleaned out anything but email addresses, and fed them in Facebook.

Re: Facebook Finds A New Way To Liberate Your Gmail Contact Data

#19

Post by yason »

dododo wrote: post #3

or "facebook won't let you liberate your facebook data to alternate providers". i don't understand why people tolerate facebook. they don't seem deserving of the trust people give them. first opt-in/opt-out privacy issues, now this... plus it doesn't seem like they're really trying to make money yet. i suppose this is what the initial "exclusivity" of the facebook brand got them: loyalty without needing trust.

Facebook has undeniably value. Connecting with other people is a pretty universal trait so it's no wonder Facebook has those half a billion people. That's what I use it for, too.

However, unlike some of those half a billion people, I do care about protecting my private life somewhat. Yet I'm willing to give up something for the value I find in the connectivity that Facebook provides. Depending on what personal information is at the stake, on how Facebook acts, and on your privacy expectations that something clearly varies.

For me, keeping any of Facebook's potential negative impacts to the minimum comes down to sanitizing the privacy settings and rechecking them every other month or so (or following any of the facebook privacy news articles) for new changes.

Re: Facebook Finds A New Way To Liberate Your Gmail Contact Data

#20

Post by adambyrtek »

konad wrote: post #12
michaelhart wrote: post #2

Google could easily fix this w/o impacting other services: block Facebook's referrer. And then present them with an opt-in page for Google.me... BOOM! Instant win? High five.

You do know the referer header is optional don't you, I mean, you'd look pretty dumb relying on it for any web service because, you know, some crazy people turn them off altogether, perhaps with the Firefox add-on RefControl.

You're missing the point. It's not about disallowing importing the address book from Gmail to Facebook, it's about making it more difficult in order to force Facebook to offer reciprocity.

You will always be able to export the CSV version of your Gmail address book yourself and feed it wherever you like. It's just slightly less convenient and the experience is not so smooth anymore.

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