They're Stealin' Mah Privacy!

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Originally Posted by bluestarultor

In America, one of the most basic background check tactics is to throw the person's name into Google. I have to say it works scarily well. All I have is a Twitter, but plugging in "joseph bauer programmer" puts me on the first page.

Google is always watching us. And they know what you do with your free time.

Joke aside, I was thinking of going on Face book...

And changed my mind after reading this. As the whole, we know everything about you thing is a bit creepy.

[Azisien]

Hmm let's see, of the 10 results on the first page of Google, I apply to like 6 of them. However, apparently a newborn with my exact name has a blog!

[Sithdarth]

Only result that actually comes up as me is my Facebook page. I am apparently Google anonymous.

[Green Spanner]

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

Are you dudes that interesting that you think lots of people are just hunting for information on you?

Not while I have my tinfoil hat on.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Doesn't facebook have privacy setting anyway? So that only people on your friends lists can see what you've posted? So how can anyone find out anything about you if they can't see your personal page?

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

Are you dudes that interesting that you think lots of people are just hunting for information on you?

Also this. I mean unless you're posting up bank account/social security/national insurance numbers, your general banking and online purchase information, email, phone numbers and your home address then what's the problem?

Or am I just being naive and missing the point entirely?

[Viridis]

Originally Posted by Hawk

Doesn't facebook have privacy setting anyway? So that only people on your friends lists can see what you've posted? So how can anyone find out anything about you if they can't see your personal page?

You mean these 170 options? Which Facebook changes back to the default (fairly open) settings every time they update?

It's a little more invasive than that. You've see the 'Like' button on sites like Cracked? Even if you don't click it, Facebook knows you were there. Cracked got onto my list of applications without me doing anything. So, to a degree, Facebook knows where you go. And they are more than willing to share this info along with more.

[bluestarultor]

Originally Posted by Hawk

Doesn't facebook have privacy setting anyway? So that only people on your friends lists can see what you've posted? So how can anyone find out anything about you if they can't see your personal page?



Also this. I mean unless you're posting up bank account/social security/national insurance numbers, your general banking and online purchase information, email, phone numbers and your home address then what's the problem?

Or am I just being naive and missing the point entirely?

If someone can get your name, location, and birth date, they can find out a lot of other information about you, actually.

Currently searching for the article I read. I'll post a link in an edit.

Edit: Not the one I was thinking of, but it'll work: http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home...ow-on-facebook

[BitVyper]

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

Are you dudes that interesting that you think lots of people are just hunting for information on you?

Facebook stuff has been used by the corporation I work for in arbitration against employees. So yes.

Anyway your point would work if looking up this kind of information was difficult enough that only someone with significant interest in you would be able to or want to find it, or only someone interesting/popular/famous would be worth looking up. This is not the case. It takes like two seconds and no effort. You can do it out of sheer boredom.

Edit: Also I hear identity theft is big these days.

[PhoenixFlame]

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

Are you dudes that interesting that you think lots of people are just hunting for information on you?

It's not that they are, but that anyone, anywhere can on a whim. It only takes one person to ruin your whole life, given the right situation.

A concept known as Sousurveillance, and something that can yield disturbingly accurate information with the simplest of tools.

[Ryanderman]

You can lock down your facebook privacy settings to the point where your profile won't show up on a Google search, or a search within Facebook if you want. The only thing Facebook's guilty of, as far as I can tell, is not making those privacy settings default. But they're easy enough to change.