public service announcement..

so pals i discovered something recently that perturbed me somewhat so i thought i would share...

when you are a user of facebook, your information can only be seen by the people you permit it to be seen by, non?

unless...

...you are listed as being part of the facebook platform.

if you are listed as being part of the facebook platform, anytime someone googles your name, the results now almost invariably start with your entry on facebook. yes that's right, members of the platform are visible as being facebook members, including network and a selction of your friend-list (including their profile pictures) to the whole world, whether they are even users of facebook or not, let alone friends of yours on facebook or not!

"what is this platform of which you speak?" i hear you ask

anytime you add one of those wretched applications, you sign up to it.

so all those uber-pokes and travel maps and sending someone a graffiti fish, - that's the platform.

get off them now or people can see you on the internet who you haven't given permission to be able to see you on the internet!

its a difficult road we tread, this information superhighway. it has many pitfalls. this i believe is one of them.