On 05/24/2011 01:42 PM, Stuart Jansen wrote: > On Tue, 2011-05-24 at 12:28 -0700, Joshua Lutes wrote: >> What are they going to do with this information though? Should it matter to >> me that they are aware of who my friends are? My understanding is that they >> use the data to target advertising. Whatever. > > Ignoring the whole dystopian conspiracy angle which I consider valid, > but most people don't care about...
I do love me a good dystopian conspiracy angle... > When a total stranger can find out information that used to be available > to intimate friend only, that's a security risk. Social engineering is > much easier if an attacker can drop a few details into the conversation > to make it sound like he's more connected than he really is. Identity > theft, financial fraund, data intrusion, etc. This is true. I'm not here to defend Facebook. Are there ways we can ameliorate these risks without losing the benefits of social networking? Are we blowing them out of proportion relative to other risks? > There are documented cases demonstrating that burglars find social media > a very useful resource. They can build a "shopping list" based on the > photos from the party you held three months ago, and schedule a visit > based on your wife's posts to her wall. That strikes me as a very similar argument to the one the Indian government made after it was discovered the Mumbai terrorists used Google Maps. "Shut it down!" they said, "or the terrorists will win". Well, duh they used Google Maps. They also used streets, electricity, running water. All these things have potential benefit to ne'er-do-wells, but that isn't reason to dismiss them entirely. > And then, of course, there's the times when you prefer not to be found. > Remember that credit card from back in college? The one you forgot to > close? Well the credit collectors do and its been racking up fees. > Because you're not answering your phone they're going to call your > mother, neighbors, priest, and girlfriend to pressure you. Whatever. Remember that best friend you had back in college, the one who got rich and has been looking to repay you for being so willing to buy pizza on your credit card? His bank account is overflowing and he's looking to share the wealth. He might call your mother, neighbors, priest, and girlfriend trying to give you a windfall. Corey
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