The Facebook Wars

Earlier this week, I looked at your personal photos on Facebook. Or I could have. And I'm not even a designated friend of yours.

Investigators have revealed that Facebook had a security hole that allowed anyone to look at anyone else's personal photos. This, after Facebook assured subscribers there were yet more ways than ever for Facebook subscribers to protect their privacy.

Byron Ng, a Canadian computer technician, was able to pull up personal pictures of celebrities carousing at parties, office workers letting loose at office parties, and college students doing their thing on spring break - even if these pictures had been designated private. An AP reporter using the same template was able to see recent pictures posted by Facebook users in spite of the fact that the pictures were supposed to be hidden from the public eye.

To their credit, Facebook has since closed up the gaping security hole that allowed peeping FB users to peep at your pictures. But Facebook's recent problems don't end there. Recently tens of thousands of Facebook subscribers protested a policy that would grant this social network the ability to controlling users' information even after they had cancelled their accounts. The information in question included photos, posts, and messages. Specifically, the former policy stated that "Facebook now asserts the right to "copy, publish, store, retain," your photos, posts, and messages, and that Facebook's right to your material was still in effect even after "any termination of your use of the Facebook Service."

Yesterday Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, posted a blog that backed off from this policy and essentially turned Facebook into a democracy. Facebook users now have direct input into whether or not policy changes should be instituted.

In his blog, Zuckerberg states that he believes that "these steps are unprecedented in promoting understanding and enabling participation on the web." The 175 million Facebook users will now have a say in what policies are instituted at Facebook by reviewing and voting on policies. Zuckerberg says that "Our main goal at Facebook is to help make the world more open and transparent."

Sources:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23785561

http://blog.facebook.com

http://www.facebook.com/terms.php?ref=pf