Kevin... It looks like they updated the linked article with the new method as Facebook now has a privacy control that lets you opt out.

-Adam

Adam Chernow

The best ideas has to be deleting your Facebook account. When one of my purchases randomly showed up on my facebook account that is what I was really suprised and deleted my facebook account immediately. It's like when AOL released people's search data. Facebook is a company that seems to push the envelope in terms of invading peoples privacy and they will continue to do so. They aren't conscientious like google.

Having Facebook tracking me on third party sites and building a database of my purchases and posting it online for my friends to see has to be the creepiest experience on the web ever. It's made me rethink what I put online. Objections may have come from a minority of users, but with so few sites participating a minority of users probably bought something from one of those sites and had it appear on their facebook. So the actual percentage of users disturbed is probably much higher, because most people don't know about it. End rant. Thanks for listening.

155

I'm a Facebook user but I've never heard of Beacon... is it only a US thing?

Ghostlove

@chris-mcc: Exactly what I was getting at in so few words.

Ninehand

So far I haven't had a problem with facebook, my only wish is that they would allow html coders to makes some decent looking themes, half the fun of myspace is customizing your page. As for the applications, You don't really need to put everything about you on your facebook... It's not like they are asking for your social and a photo ID to boot. If facebook ever did rip people off using this beacon thing they wouldn't get anything from me. Besides if they did even try I'd sue em.

Ninehand

What info is it that you have to register that you're scared about, I look at it and from what I see all they require you to use is your name and date of birth. Lie about both, Who cares.

chris-mcc

@Atomische: actually, it's not that easy to remove a facebook account. I had deleted mine for a year while I was abroad (never really liked it since they opened to the world and started with their whole stalker feed thing), but came back because there were a few people and a student organization that I was a part of that I needed to contact through it. When I re-enabled my account, after being gone for a year, mind you, all my information was still there. All of it.

What I would recommend is that if you are to leave facebook, delete everything you can first, then close the account. I have no idea if they keep the data anyway and just "say" they deleted it, but I guess that's the downside of keeping part of your personal life online.

ocdude

@cell: "The amount of info Facebook needed from me to sign up is the primary reason why I am not part of it. I am even more confident of my decision now with this evilness afoot."

x2.
Well put.

justbrag

I go to a school where (as at most other schools) Facebook is more ubiquitous than "textbooks." However, I simply refuse to buy in. If someone can't go to the effort of sending me an email or (gasp!) a letter, then they really don't care that badly to connect with me. They would be wise to assume that goes both directions. It isn't like those who matter don't already have my cell number, AIM, email 1, email 2, address, home address, etc., etc....................

Every time I hear another article like this, I smugly pat myself on the back and feel sorry for everyone else.

ACF

I like Facebook a lot more than MySpace, but I have to admit that I'm disturbed at the amount of applications that need to "know who I am and access my information."

Jeff Martin

i hate facebook...damb friends and family insist i use it.

EMoShunz

I agree with deactivation. If enough people drop accounts, Facebook may rethink this strategy.

screwtape

The amount of info Facebook needed from me to sign up is the primary reason why I am not part of it. I am even more confident of my decision now with this evilness afoot.

cell

Can anyone confirm blocking "http://*facebook.com/beacon/" in Maxthon's Ad Hunter does the same thing?

I'm not sure how that Beacon thing works but it didn't seem like the type of thing that blocking the beacon site would effect. I thought data was being collected by other sites and given to Facebook.

chris-mcc

@CheGordito: Ack, good point. Thanks for being first!

Therevan

Couldn't Facebook easily circumvent this by changing the beacon subdirectory?

sumocat

A much easier solution is to simply deactivate your Face book account. It's not as if the site serves an essential purpose anyway, and it's hardly the only social network out there.

Atomische

Thanks.

Adblock Plus (and Adblock?) can also block the URL, as the article mentions.

CheGordito

I stumbled upon a site asking users to boycott facebook. They have a lot of good links as to the depth of this evil ad campaign. [www.facebookstrike.com] Take a look we need to be educated about our privacy!

porticue

So how can I block this with Adblock Plus?

AhrenBa

or you could just block beacon in your profile:
[www.facebook.com]

themaxx