Facebook: Is there information gathering going on behind the scenes?

[The Backlash Cometh]

I've seen on facebook how convenient it is to layout your network of friends, and if Facebook ever gave in to pressure to the FBI or whomever, it could give that an unscrupulous agency access to the names of people you may know which mean a great deal to you. In a spiteful partisan atmosphere, that may not be a healthy thing. Anyway, this article below didn't appease my worries:

Facebook hires Alberto Gonzales's former chief of staff

Accused of permitting unwarranted spying on citizens, torture, helping to blow a CIA agent's cover and firing non-political appointees for political reasons, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales left the White House shrouded in ignominy. Facebook just hired his former right-hand man, Ted Ullyot, as its general counsel. The privacy advocates who plagued Facebook during its Beacon controversy might not be pleased, but Washington insider and top Facebook flack Elliot Schrage is giddy. "He has an extraordinary combination of private legal practice and public sector experience. So many of the legal issues we face touch on both of those arenas,” Schrage told the Los Angeles Times. “Ted's arrival really demonstrates we're a little more grown-up.” Ullyot's impressive resume:

* Served as a clerk for Sup

http://valleywag.com/5056365/facebook-hires-alberto-gonzaless-former-chief-of-staff

[Az]

1. Um facebook is pretty much openly about information gathering

Its basically a social network given over to any company to write up any sort of tracking software that it can get people to utilize in any way they wish too. Its mostly a marketing tool dressed up as a social network.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. But aren't you able to control privacy settings to avoid just that?

[silverojo]

3. People are idiots to post any real info about themselves on the internet

It's not just the govt. you need to worry about, but stalkers, psychos...and Freepers who are just nuts enough to go after a Democrat, just for "fun".

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Do you think facebook is partisan?

Are Republicans using it to data mine?

[LSdemocrat]

4. Anyone who thinks that anything on Facebook is "private" is delusional

I am a Facebook member, and I pretty much assume that anything I post about myself on Facebook is ceded to public knowledge.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Now that is odd.

If you're a member, then you know that you can relegate some pages as private. Unless someone tags a photo. Are you suggesting that there's a way to hack into the accounts? Or that the facebook organization does it?

[ColbertWatcher]

7. Good morning, sleepy head! Did ya just wake up!? n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Well, if it's that clear, why don't you come out and spell it out?

Is facebook run by any agency or political party with a nefarious purpose other than selling pimple cream to kids with teenage angst?

[Dover]

9. I can't imagine that if they WERE, that it would be public knowledge. How would we know?

But like e-voting there are just so many ways to game and hack the system. That goes for e-banking, e-dating, or anything in between, imo. The gov regularly collects data and as we've seen with the phone tapping much goes on without permission. There aren't enough watchdogs or incentives to have oversight.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. I read the informatiton on wiki and it looks like they are were

criticized for their lack of privacy, and they have made changes accordingly.

I mean, according to wiki, at one time they could access more information on you from internet searches to supplement your profile. Pretty scary stuff, especially if they connect you with the wrong person.