Facebook embroiled in fresh privacy controversy
Facebook once again finds itself mired in controversy this morning after it emerged that the social media site had tinkered with a permissions dialog box that users must check when downloading third party apps – exposing the users address and phone number.
Users are now being urged to remove their phone numbers and addresses from the site by security experts after the social network admitted: “We are now making a user’s address and mobile phone number accessible [to developers].”
The changes see user’s presented with an additional layer of requests when downloading apps such as 3rd party games and video, enabling the developer to access their address and phone numbers if the user gives permission.
Graham Cluley, a technology consultant from at IT security firm Sophos, warned that the changes could be “a recipe for disaster”, citing the proliferation of scam applications already present on the network.
Cluley added: “… we already know many users don’t bother reading the small print and just click the button without thinking of the consequences.”
Facebook claim that the changes will make the service more efficient and does not pose a security threat.