facebook privacy.

In class, we discussed the article 'Price of Facebook Privacy? Start Clicking" that went in-depth about how many steps a user truly has to go through to make their facebook private. Well, I was on facebooks 'help' page investigating these evident 45,000 words in frequently asked questions on just security and while I didn't read all 45,000 words- I found something else of interest. You cannot personally delete a facebook account. In the terms of use, that is so long no one I know has ever actually read, it states that you are okay with the fact that you cannot delete your facebook and that facebook is entitled to keep all your information. When users 'deactivate' an account, facebook permanently stores all your information so that A. if you ever decide to reactivate your account you will have everything just as it was left, and B. so they can continue to use the information you provided them with. In order to full delete an account you must submit a request to facebook as to why you would like to delete your account.

In another class of mine, the TA also supplied us with some interesting information about iPhone and BlackBerry Apps. If you opt to sync your facebook to your contacts list, facebook supplies you with another terms of use that states by syncing your contact list they are free to take information from it. In other words, if I have a friend whose name matches to one in my contacts list facebook can take their number, email, employment, etc. I personally, selected the setting where facebook is only allowed to sync to contacts who have provided their numbers already on facebook. In other words, facebook can only match with information, the numbers they already have, they cannot take from my list.