Your Diminishing Privacy
If you’re active on social networks, then private information about you is stored on web sites and databases that can be accessed by other people and companies.
Probably the biggest liability for most people is Facebook.
With that in mind, I was a bit surprised by this pop-up window I encountered on the New York Times when I wanted to share an article.
By sharing an article through the New York Times, I’m giving them permission to send me email and access all my private information, including my “likes,” my work history, where I live, my education, and even the people I’m connected with.
More shocking still, I’m giving them permission to “access my data when I’m not using the application.”
In other words, by recommending an article to my Facebook network, I’m giving the New York Times carte blanche to spy on me anytime they want, even when I’m off-line.
Uh, no thanks.
If you want to tighten up your Facebook security, you can go to Account > Privacy Settings.
From there you can control who can see your status updates, pictures, etc.
Also, in the bottom left corner of your Privacy Settings page is a link to Applications settings. If you click that page, you can delete any applications you no longer use or don’t wish to have access to your information.
-Ryan M. Healy
