Facebook Says Your Email Is @Facebook 346
beaverdownunder writes "Facebook has been silently changing users' default e-mail addresses to their @facebook.com address in a move that Facebook claims was 'to protect users' and to create 'consistency,' but has been blasted by many bloggers and news outlets as 'Facebook's Lame Attempt To Force Its E-Mail Service On You,' and even characterised the move as a Man-In-The-Middle (MITM) attack on users' private correspondence. From the article: 'Many articles characterized the change as a ham-fisted way for Facebook to push its email system, which it first announced in late 2010. At that time the company said its goal was to integrate conversations across multiple channels of communication — text messages, Facebook chat, email, etc. Facebook seemed surprised by the reaction. 'We basically defaulted to show your Facebook address as we rolled this out, just to keep it consistent for everyone,' said Meredith Chin, Facebook's manager of product communications. 'I'm seeing this whole meme around the idea that it's us pushing for people only to use facebook.com addresses,' Chin said. "That was not our intention. We want people to use whatever's easier for them.''"
Re:There is not even a way to remove it! (Score:3, Funny)
from the BBC's article: [bbc.co.uk]
Users wishing to undo the change can do so by clicking on the "about" link in their profile and then clicking the "edit" button next to their contact information.
They then need to click make their Facebook email address "hidden from timeline" and then - if they wish - make one or more of their other preferred addresses visible.
I think that's pretty obvious... by facebook standards.
Re:Facebook is shocked at the response, REALLY? (Score:5, Funny)
And the fact that Facebook was not prepared for the reaction it received is a bold-faced lie.
At least it wasn't Comic Sans. That would be a real slap in the face!
Re:There is not even a way to remove it! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:There is not even a way to remove it! (Score:5, Funny)
I am so close to closing my Facebook account it is not even funny anymore.
No you aren't you sheep, stop fantasizing. You are a slave.
Re:There is not even a way to remove it! (Score:5, Funny)
You can't get rid of the address, but you can make it so that no one sees it. You can also display to whomever you like whatever address you like. The settings updates you have to make are pretty straightforward.
Sally's Facebook Wall, sometime in 2013
It's a Boy! David Zuckerberg Stevens joined our family this morning at 6:45 a.m. 7lbs 3oz
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Sally: OMG! I totally didn't type Zuckerberg! His middle name is Anthony! WTF FaceBook?!
Judy: Relax! You can't get rid of the Zuckerberg, but you can just not use it in front of others and no one will know, except when you scold, "David Zuckerberg! Take your hand out of that cookie jar this instant!"
Sally: Who are you?
Judy: I'm your closest friend. We met when you called Facebook to close your account, and I talked you out of it. And remember when I talked you out of that abortion 8 months ago?
Sally: Wait, are you FB customer service?
Judy: We don't like to think of it that way.
Re:There is not even a way to remove it! (Score:5, Funny)
I'm starting to agree on the "leaving" part (or at least stop using). Sure it's fun to reconnect with old classmates, but changing my default address from yahoo.com or gmail.com to facebook's service totally blows.
What ALSO blows is making me identify pictures when I log-in from non-home computers. How on earth am I supposed to identify which of my 1000 friends is tagged on a Calvin&Hobbes cartoon? For that matter, some of my friends have grown old and changed appearance. I barely recognize them anymore. Basically: I can't login because I keep guessing wrong on the photos. Bullshit facebook. (My username and password should be enough to let me in.)