Old Facebook Apps Still Plunder Your Privacy 101
tcd004 writes "If you added the YouTube Facebook app prior to 2009, you've given YouTube free access to nearly all the data in your profile (as well as many of your friends). But if you install the same app today, it gets very limited access. Older versions of Facebook apps, it turns out, still have 'grandfathered' access to data that the social networking service has restricted for new apps. If you're protective of your privacy, it might be a good idea to delete and reinstall any older apps in your profile."
I did (Score:5, Interesting)
I deleted my profile but not before changing me name and deleting lots of stuff.
One thing you should know is that Facebook never deletes anything. Even if you tell it to. The new visibility is just 'appended' to the end of your account. Bit like a journal. TFA does not surprise me.
So if they really wanted to rewind your profile, they could. I imagine the authorities have this privilege.
Think how much time you'll save yourself from FB if you delete it now. I mean you could spend that time on Slashdot instead!
On the other hand... (Score:5, Interesting)
While "delete your apps periodically and re-add them as needed" is probably very good advice most of the time, are there any cases where apps are getting worse with respect to privacy, and so having a newer version of an app is worse than having the older version?
It seems likely that someone out there, having gotten a whiff of the money that might be made, is actually getting worse about this...
Re:I did (Score:5, Interesting)
It amazes me how so many people think that that is automatically bad.
There's nothing in my profile that I wouldn't mind anyone seeing, and I've shared a fair amount of information.
With regard to potential future employers... if they don't want me because of something I put on FB, then they are definitely not the kind of people I would want to work for.
Anything I've posted on FB with respect to my interests, affiliations, friends, etc, is not something you couldn't find elsewhere with a little legwork or at worst hiring a PI for a few hours. I just don't see what the big deal is provided you show a little common sense in what you are making public, and more importantly, make it a point of not doing things you wouldn't want people to know about. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned that way.