2275 Blah Faceb00k

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Well, another blogger has decamped, moved to Faceb00k, "Come visit me there!" Well, you can't do much with Faceb00k unless you register with them. And they insist on real names. Sure, I could make up a name, but that isn't the whole problem.

First problem is that Faceb00k tracks your internet activity, especially shopping. I don't want that.

Second problem is that (and most people don't realize this) Faceb00k OWNS everything you store with them. Your writings. Your photos. They can use anything in any way they wish. Once you put something on Faceb00k, it's no longer yours, you have no say in its use, and they can even alter it any way they want. You could put a photo out that you are proud of and want to share with friends, and a month later find that it has been sold for use in a condom commercial. You have shared the copyright with them.

Yeah. Read the terms of use. They recently expanded them. (I'm willing to bet nobody told the users.)

I was on Faceb00k for all of maybe 36 hours when I realized how dangerous it was. I tried to delete my profile and the few photos I'd put out there, and surprise - they'll "unregister" you, but they don't delete your material.

Don't believe me?

Set up a dummy account, store some stuff, wait a few days, and then request that the account and profile and all materials be deleted. Wait another few days, and reregister. Surprise. Your stuff, that they claim had been deleted, is still there.

Why not? It's theirs now. They just let you look at it.

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Later: This guy says it well. Also, it's interesting that the TOS were changed to allow them to keep your material about two weeks ago. The previous TOS, which they have gone back to, didn't say they'd keep stuff. And yet - it was about six weeks ago that I had my run-in with Faceb00k, and they kept my material then! (I wrote a very nasty email to them, threatening legal action.) So just because they withdrew the statement that they are keeping your stuff DOESN'T mean they're not keeping your stuff. They're just not saying so.
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