Facebook Tracks the Status Updates and Messages You Don't Write Too 163
Jah-Wren Ryel writes "It turns out Facebook tracks the stuff that people type and then erase before hitting the post button. If you start writing a message, and then think better of it and decide not to post it, Facebook still adds it to the dossier they keep on you. From the article: 'Storing text as you type isn't uncommon on other websites. For example, if you use Gmail, your draft messages are automatically saved as you type them. Even if you close the browser without saving, you can usually find a (nearly) complete copy of the email you were typing in your Drafts folder. Facebook is using essentially the same technology here. The difference is that Google is saving your messages to help you. Facebook users don't expect their unposted thoughts to be collected, nor do they benefit from it.'"
Message saving (Score:5, Funny)
"The difference is that Google is saving your messages to help you."
Well, we hope at least. When Google's robot army kicks down my door for looking up subversive material, will we still be saying this?
Can we just call it... (Score:5, Funny)
Hmm. (Score:5, Funny)
Must kill Zuckerberg, Must kill Zuckerberg, Must kill ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H
Must post cat video.
Re:Time to switch gears (Score:4, Funny)
Somehow I just can't picture vim phoning home like a proprietary software product.
Re:Facebook doesn't store this stuff. (Score:5, Funny)
I guess Slashdot accidentally stored a hilariously inaccurate version of the summary.
Re:Time to switch gears (Score:5, Funny)
Somehow I just can't picture vim phoning home like a proprietary software product.
Oh yeah? Well, emacs doesn't phone home better, and hasn't been doing it longer!
Re:Time to switch gears (Score:5, Funny)
A better policy (Score:4, Funny)
Even the stupid ones!
Then when you sit down the NSA, they are in a poor bargaining position and say "Look, you are talking to a guy who sends stupid emails. Does my behavior suggest I have anything to hide?"
/NSA agent starts sweating
Re:Facebook doesn't store this stuff. (Score:3, Funny)
Oh, phew! I was afraid
was still in there somewhere. I'd be so embarrassed over the misspellings.
Re:Time to switch gears (Score:5, Funny)
Just for those who haven't memorized all the keybinds, "don't phone home" is c-m-X c-] by default.
Re:Do they turn up in the downloads? (Score:2, Funny)
Or, just wait 'til your ads start showing results for "live goatse @ chicken.ca." Or, your friends and family get "jamiedolan likes `live goatse'" messages.
Re:Do they turn up in the downloads? (Score:4, Funny)
There was an article I read some time ago
With impeccable citations like that, you must be correct.