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back to article MoD labels Facebook Places a 'targeting pack' for terrorists

Security chiefs have cautioned army, navy and RAF personnel to disable Facebook Places, over fears it could be used by terrorists to identify and track targets. The new service could act as a "one stop shop targeting pack", particularly in Northern Ireland, they warn. The Ministry of Defence is concerned about how it could …

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      1. Sophy Silver
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        Response from Facebook

        Facebook is a free service and something that many people find adds value to their day-to-day lives. As with any service, users do need to invest some time in order to use it properly. With the introduction of master sharing controls in May this year Facebook has have made it very simple for users to set all their settings to one option that suits them using one click. With Places, we realise location is a sensitive area so we went even further to help people control their privacy by defaulting sharing to friends only by default – the most conservative of all location services. Users also get clear pop up disclosures and notifications the first time they check in or a friend asks to check them in with a clear ‘learn more’ section, as well as notifications every time they are checked in after they have agree to use the product. We also created simple guides and videos to help educate users on how to use the product as referenced in the original comment.

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    2. Paul RND*1000
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      With all due respect Sophy...

      ...just because it's default is currently set to "friends only" doesn't mean it'll stay that way in future.

      Sorry, but Facebook's record on privacy and in particular changing privacy defaults under the auspices of "improvements" speaks for itself in this regard.

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  2. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Umm

    What's to be banned next? Talking? Your friends might then be able to tell where you are!

    Perhaps phoning will be banned next, just in case someone tells the person on the other end who/where they have dialled...

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    1. Anonymous Coward
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      Re: Umm

      The advisory says nothing about Facebook being banned anywhere, quite the opposite. It simply urges MoD personnel to disable one particular feature on Facebook, if they want to.

      It's like urging people to lock their cars. They don't have to if they don't want to. It's not a "ban" on using your car.

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  3. CASIOMS-8V

    I am not on Facebook but

    I just bought some asparagus and like the 80's television program 'Minder.'

    Just thought everyone should know.

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  4. Alex King
    Joke

    I'm comfortable with this

    Anyone who leaves this option turned on probably deserves to be burgled / shot / fundamentalised on the grounds of extreme vanity.

    Seriously though, I do find facebook useful for staying in touch with people, as I tend to move cities every few years. So when I see one of my friends notifying me that they've just arrived at Wagamamas, I respond with "Excellent - I'll just nip round while you're out and help myself to your spangly new 50-inch 3D LCD Sony telly you've been telling me all about."

    They tend to stop using Places after that.

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  5. Eden

    Oh ffs

    I don't post anything to facebook I wouldn't be happy for world+dog to see, that way I don't worry so much about security breaches.

    But ffs adding a "feature" that automatically tells world+dog my exact location regarldess of if I actually choose to allow it or not (because they decided to set it to everyone by default and link it to the mobile app that didn't have this feature when I installed it) is not on.

    Seriously tempted to remove it on basis of that alone even though I don't really care if people know what pub I go to after work or which floor I decide to go to the toilet on...

    *suffice to say this has been disabled now but the idea that I have to keep constant tabs on what they decide to share with the world next without my permission is worrying*

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  6. BongoJoe
    Flame

    Gobsmacked

    I normally have my security set so that I have control over what I publish over FB. I certainly wouldn't wish to be tracked and my location published so I never installed nor use whatever tracking applications there are.

    So, I looked on my Privacy settings and I am astounded that others can tell dog/world where I am.

    I don't mind this feature but surely the default setting for these privacy side-stepping applications or do-dahs should be screwed down to almost off?

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  7. Eden

    Address book too

    Wow...apparently even though I said NO when the mobile app asked to upload my phone book...it did it anyway.

    (Account - edit friends - phonebook)

    A mate just pointed out my entire phone book including some very sensitive info both work and personal is now open to world+dog.

    App is being gutted, info removed, then uninstalled, I've had enough :(

    I only use FB as a nice place to dump photos to share and keep tabs on events, not worth the constant creeping of info sharing against my consent.

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  8. Matt Hawkins
    WTF?

    Open Source?

    "Social networks already provide an extensive open source intelligence gathering tool"

    Since when is Facebook "open source"? I suspect the person who wrote that knows nothing about technology and is just using some words he found on the internet.

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  9. HFoster
    Terminator

    I don't use Facebook Places/FourSquuare/Twitter Locations

    ... because not only is it giving away more information than I care to, but because I am also a big fan of the Terminator franchise.

    Fuck Skynet using our self-indulgence against us.

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  10. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Flame

    A good general guide with *any* personal information asked for by *any* organisation

    "Friendly " (apparently) or otherwise.

    No need to ask.

    No need to know.

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