Facebook Plans to Invade Your Privacy Again

Many Facebook users are already concerned about their privacy issues, but once again, Facebook doesn't seem to care.

As if they weren't already making enough money, they now plan to use you in their ads.  So every time you "like" a certain a product or "check in" to one of your favorite local coffee shops, etc., you risk having your profile connected with that merchant and published in one of FB's ads.  In Facebook's own words ....

"Facebook said the sponsored stories are all labeled as such. Users won't get any special notification that their posts have been sponsored and used as ads, and there's no option for users to opt out of the service".

The fact that FB users won't even be able to "opt-out" of this feature is really upsetting.  It will be interesting to see if Facebook does and about face on this one as users voice their complaints.

For more information about Facebook's plans to use you in their Ads, click here.

Changing Your Privacy Settings in Facebook

One of the biggest annoyances of Facebook is that they are constantly making changes - many of which affect your privacy.  Sadly, too often, you have learn about these changes from somebody else (not facebook).

Today, one of my friends mentioned that Facebook is now making our phone numbers public (by default) unless we go in and change them.   So I did some checking.

Facebook generally has 3 different options for privacy.  You can either share all of your information (including profile, photos, videos, etc.) with .....

• Everyone
• Friends only
• Friends of Friends

Unless you're a celebrity or business person, you typically don't want everybody to see your information.  So selecting the "Friends only" option is good for most Facebook information.  When sharing photos, I usually select "friends of friends" so that if my friend wants to share my photos with their friends, they'll be able to see them. 

However, there is definitely some information you want to keep just to yourself.  And you will have to manually set these options.

Changing your privacy settings in Facebook is tricky (especially since the steps keep changing).  But as of today, here's the steps.

1. Log into Facebook on select ACCOUNT and then PRIVACY SETTINGS (blue bar at the top of the page)
2. By default, you'll see a mixture of privacy settings.  For now, click FRIENDS ONLY on the left menu of options.

3. Now select click the link that reads, Custom Settings
4. If you've selected "Friends Only" previously, then you may only have to change the settings under "Contact Information" - but be sure to check every setting yourself to make sure you are only sharing information you want to with the people you want to.
5. To change your settings, click the gray button next to each setting and select the option you want.  If you want to set it so only you (and not your friends) see something, click CUSTOM and then use the pull-down arrow to select JUST YOU. Then click the SAVE SETTINGS button.
6. Repeat the process for each privacy setting.
   

Because Facebook has a habit of making frequent changes to their system, it would be a good idea to re-check these settings periodically to make sure they're configured correctly.

For more information about Facebook Privacy, click here.

Avoid the "Cash for Clunkers" Website Like the Plague!!!

Now a days everybody is concerned about privacy (or at least they should be). We'd all like to believe our private information is private and will not be misused. It's not too much to ask.

We've all heard the government is building massive databases on each one of us for "good" purposes. Once such purpose is to centralize our medical records so that everybody who needs access to our personal medical records has it. The government even tries to assure us their intent is noble and will make health care more efficient.

Okay, so it's no secret we'd like to believe the government will take the necessary precautions to safeguard our private info. But let me ask you this ... if President Bush or Reagan were driving this, would you still be willing to cooperate????

Let's face it, the government (in BOTH parties) has gotten so big and powerful that it just can't be trusted anymore. It's now infringing upon our individual rights guaranteed under the Constitution (one of our country's founding documents.)! Anybody that denies this, really doesn't understand the Constitution.

The reason I am writing this post is to alert you to the most recent aggressiveness of our government to invade your privacy for their, "noble purposes" ... the "Cash for Clunkers" program.

The government claims it wants to help you do your part in cleaning up the environment by helping you trade in your old clunker for an environmentally safe green-car (which by the way, more and more scientists are standing up now to say is a hoax). Who wouldn't want to get rid of their clunker for a new car? I've been driving the same car for 8 years and would love a new car - especially since mine is approaching 100K miles.

But here's what you need to know! If you access the "Cash for Clunkers' website, you will be voluntarily giving access to Uncle Sam to ALL of your files and information stored on that computer. Sound harmless? Think about this .... once they get access to your computer, they'll have your IP address - which means they'll be able to hack in any time they want! DON'T DO IT!!! The U.S. Government can no longer be trusted! This is the kind of stuff that fascist dictators and 3rd world countries do. Don't be a willing victim!

This is serious stuff and it's time Americans woke up and pushed aside their nativity on what the government's doing. I understand folks who hate Bush, Reagan and other Republicans will be skeptical and laugh at this kind of paranoia. But I urge those folks to ask themselves how they'd feel if it were Bush or Reagen or any other Republican doing these things. I guarantee you I'd be just as outraged!

This is NOT a party issue. It's an assault on America by both parties and it's time we remind the government of their limited roles in our lives! Don't be blinded by party lines!