FarmVille Leaks Facebook User Data to the Internet

[Andy Chalk]

FarmVille Leaks Facebook User Data to the Internet

Privacy on Facebook [http://www.facebook.com] is once again a hot topic as FarmVille and many other popular games and apps have been caught sending identifying user information to online advertisers and trackers.

The Wall Street Journal says that [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304772804575558484075236968.html]"tens of millions" of Facebook users have been affected by the breach, in which applications transmit user ID numbers to outside companies. It's not known how long this has been happening but a Facebook rep said on Sunday that the company is now working to plug the holes.

Calling it an "even more complicated technical challenge" than the one addressed by the company last spring, he said, "Our technical systems have always been complemented by strong policy enforcement, and we will continue to rely on both to keep people in control of their information." He also noted that having access to user IDs "does not permit access to anyone's private information on Facebook."

But each unique user ID is a publicly available part of every Facebook profile, so having the number provides access to a name at the very least; what other information is available depends on the individual's privacy settings. The numbers were being sent to at least 25 advertising and data collection firms, at least one of which, RapLeaf, was attaching the information to its own database, which it offers for sale. RapLeaf said it strips names out of the cookies it creates and shares for targeted ads, but it also transmits the user IDs it collects to a dozen other companies, giving them the ability to collect Facebook user names and other associated data.

Facebook claimed on its FarmVille [http://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/418], with an estimated 59 million users, was left alone despite sending information about those users and their friends to other companies.

"Zynga [http://www.zynga.com/] has a strict policy of not passing personally identifiable information to any third parties," a Zynga rep said. "We look forward to working with Facebook to refine how web technologies work to keep people in control of their information."


Permalink

 

[Polock]

Oh Farmville : /

Glad I don't play it.

But really, its a matter of time before these types of things happen. Hopefully no one loses any serious information.

 

[Atmos Duality]

This is why I don't use Facebook, or its applications.

I wouldn't doubt it if Zynga left that info in place for the explicit purpose of selling it to advertisers while being able to claim "Technical problems" if anyone ever caught them doing it.

 

[Charli]

Knew it was only a matter of time.

 

[roekenny]

Calling bull on zynga as were born from such dodgy backgrounds and old habits die hard surprised took this long for them to be caught. Would not put it past them to sell peoples passwords with that user ID as few change their passwords for each site their registered.

 

[Formica Archonis]

Political cartoon time!

Remember the Zynga vs. Valve MM fiasco? (If not, you must be new. Welcome to the site.) Remember the image of the FarmVille guy standing triumphant over Gordon Freeman that someone did early in the voting? If I had that image and an editor handy - as in I wasn't just starting work - I'd silhouette Gordon and write "PRIVACY" over him in white text.

 

[accountdeletethis]

Privacy? On the internet? At all? What an absurd notion.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Oy.

Zynga...I trust them as much as I trust my spam folder.

 

[Rakkana]

¬_¬

Your not getting out of this one Zynga.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

This is why I won't touch Facebook with a 50 ft virtual pole. ¬_¬
"Technical issues." translation: "oh shit, we got caught!"

 

[Ekonk]

You can hear the "WIR HABEN ES NICHT GEWUSST" from here. Dirty motherfuckers.

 

[aaronmcc]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE fuck Zynga with a MASSIVE fine!

 

[xyrafhoan]

¬_¬

Your not getting out of this one Zynga.

Except they have money and keep people addicted to Facebook. The best thing to do with Zynga is ignore anything ever made by Zynga. Unfortunately, 59 million people playing FarmVille were dumb enough to allow Zynga to mine their user profile for personal information.

I've never been so glad that I only use Facebook to track my art group meetings.

 

[Sartan0]

I never had facebook and my wife just left over their frequent intentional privacy breaches for profit.

 

[Fr]anc[is]

LOL poo fart ass XD

You can't delete your farmville can you? I tried it and quit months ago, and yet I'm still probably screwed. Well not really, none of that info is real. Still.

 

[Outlaw Torn]

Scamga in controversy again? Who ever would have thought it? I like how Facebook mention that 'most' of the apps involved were doing it unintentionally, so they obviously know some (we wonder which) were doing it on purpose for profit.

 

[Antari]

Facebook again proves its the largest collection of people who barely have a clue as to what the internet is, and how it functions.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

"Zynga [http://www.zynga.com/] has a strict policy of not passing personally identifiable information to any third parties," a Zynga rep said.

"Unless we can get money from it. What this was was a total failure of our security software which allowed sensitive information to be taken by anyone, in direct breach of our own EULA, and the law."

Well, in my mind at least.

 

[Dublin Solo]

Oh my... The information was not only leaked. It was outright SENT to data-collecting firms.

Am I glad I don't use facebook? Oh yeah baby.

 

[AnAngryMoose]

Oh my... The information was not only leaked. It was outright SENT to data-collecting firms.

Am I glad I don't use facebook? Oh yeah baby.

Your profile picture is extremely fitting. And you're a fellow Dubliner so brownie points for you.