Facebook Makes Privacy Changes

[engine]

Facebook Makes Privacy Changes [reuters.com]

Facebook, the popular social networking website, agreed on Thursday to make changes to better protect the personal information of its users as a result of negotiations with Canada's privacy commissioner. The worldwide changes will give users more transparency and control over the information they provide to third-party developers of applications such as games and quizzes, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada announced.

As well, Facebook will also make it clear to users that they have the option of either deactivating or deleting their account.

Earlier story

Deadline Reached For Facebook In Canada's Privacy Law [webmasterworld.com]

[httpwebwitch]

This is good news for everyone. I applaud facebook for this and I hope the changes accomplish what they intend.

Even though it will mean more work for me to upgrade my FB apps so they can handle incomplete or unshared personal data. (sigh)

[GaryK]

I know they can pull my profile photo and name. But exactly how much data is available to developers? Can everything on my Info tab be accessed? What about my Wall posts?

Any ideas how FB will implement this? Will I as a user have privacy controls targeted to developers like I do now for other users?

[esllou]

I'd like to applaud Canada mostly. Well done for not saying "how high?" when facebook said "jump!"

[Receptional]

Well done Canada. I expect the damage is already done though... like selling out an email list.

[zeus]

Its of cause a good thing, but its always sad that those big Companies like google, facebook, microsoft... has to be forced to protect the user/customers that build there Company.

I will give you all a hint the future of web 2.0 and other sites is TOTAL Privacy and control about Profile/info. that is what users want now and special in the future of the web. Users have enough of all this trade/collecting of info about the users.

[JS_Harris]

Good choice Facebook, especially the part about not keeping user information indefinitely even if they cancel their account.

[co19]

I can now be proud to say Canada has done something for the world!
but these privacy changes still do not fully save the average teenager from the collection of their data, it just makes it a bit harder for companies.
Also, facebook is making the worlds youth fatter...

[coopster]

But exactly how much data is available to developers?

I've authored FB apps and played around quite a bit with the API. It is publicly available so if you would like to get an idea you can browse the developer documentation.

[GaryK]

It is publicly available so if you would like to get an idea you can browse the developer documentation.

I didn't know that, thanks.

[httpwebwitch]

see:
[wiki.developers.facebook.com...]

With no session key, you can get their name, location, and affiliations. With a session key, you can access a lot more.

[GaryK]

With a session key, you can access a lot more.

Indeed, a lot more!

The changes will give users of the social networking website more transparency and control over the information they provide to third-party developers of applications such as games and quizzes

I couldn't find any specifics about this, but does this decision mean that I, as an end-user, will be able to tell developers they cannot, for example, see the: about_me, meeting_for, meeting_sex, political or political_blurb fields?

[jaiganeshv]

I also heard a news that FaceBook was asked to submit the source code to a mid-sized company..I don't remember the name of teh company, but is that true?