Facebook, you owe me one Christmas Present.
Last Saturday I went to the movies with friends. I purchased my tickets on Fandango. That last sentence is important, or rather; the fact that I’ve decided to tell you that is important. Because where I spend my money is my business, and what I spend my money on is also my business. Unless of course, I choose to tell you.
That’s a really important distinction.
As I was wrapping up my transaction a pane popped up and made some mention of Facebook and tickets and Beowulf. I didn’t pay much attention as I was running out the door.
But today I decided to buy a video game for my son. For Christmas. You know—a secret gift kinda thing. Again, I get the pane pop up from Facebook.
At no point did either Fandango or Gamefly notify me that they’d be sharing this info with any other site. I was informed after the information had been passed.
So then I go to Facebook and my transactions are listed out for everyone to see. Without my permission. This is what I see:
I click on the privacy settings and find nothing except too many bizarre sliders. Reading around I discover that the only way to turn this off is at the site of origin. Once again; you only find out the site of origin is using this AFTER your information has been passed.
There are things I’m fine sharing with you lovely people and things I’m not. I need to be able to choose what those things are.
Some people would consider this ‘conversational marketing’. It’s not. If Mrs. Kravitz is peeking at me from across the streets through the blinds and then running to her neighbor to give her an update that doesn’t mean Mrs. Kravits and I are having a conversation. It means she’s eavesdropping on my business.
And Facebook, you owe my son a Christmas present.
Written by Mike Monteiro on November 20, 2007 | 
15 comments so far. Add yours below.
Jenny E. says:
I got an email from MoveOn this morning about this very same issue. Annoying and invasive, ain't it? People who want to stick it to Facebook should join MoveOn's Facebook group "Petition: Facebook, stop invading my privacy!."
November 20, 2007 11:22 PM
Move on, move on. says:
Joining move-on is the only thing worse than this. Move on is a group of retarded communist wannabes in an online circle-jerk.
November 25, 2007 12:48 PM
amanda says:
wow. creepy.
November 25, 2007 11:23 PM
S.A. Miller says:
Not to be rude, but isn't the key part here where you say "I didn’t pay much attention" ?
Nearly every application on Facebook lets you control privacy settings, including whether or not the application can "Publish stories about this in my Mini-Feed" and "Publish stories about this in my News Feed."
Just like you shouldn't sign things with out reading them, you shouldn't click on things with out reading them.
November 26, 2007 2:09 PM
Skar says:
Hey S.A. Miller: the Facebook app is opt-OUT, not opt-IN. The author DIDN'T click on anything without reading it, and that's what makes it evil.
If you ignore the app, it sends your info. The only way to stop it is to click on it.
November 26, 2007 2:50 PM
Garulon says:
I'm thinking they should change their name to Jackboot Stamping On A Human Facebook Forever.
This is horribly creepy. :(
November 27, 2007 1:16 AM
Sahra says:
Can I draw your attention to this article, where you can block this from happening?
http://www.ideashower.com/blog/block-facebook-beacon/
November 27, 2007 6:37 AM
Phil says:
Why does Facebook owe your kid present? Your son reads your Facebook feed?
November 29, 2007 11:29 AM
Mike Monteiro says:
Yes, he does.
November 30, 2007 11:04 AM
humber says:
Big bad Facebook, rather than mea culpa.
December 3, 2007 3:01 AM
Ana Carolina Dani says:
Morning Mike Monteiro,
I'm journalist, I'm writing from Paris and I would lile to know if you speaks english. I would like to talk with you about your bad experience with Facebbok. Could you write me to carolinadani@hotmail.com ?
thanks
Ana Carolina Dani
December 4, 2007 8:11 AM
Ana Carolina Dani says:
Morning Mike Monteiro,
I'm sorry, I would like to know if you speak PORTUGUSE, not english, ok ?
December 4, 2007 8:12 AM
Idetrorce says:
very interesting, but I don't agree with you
Idetrorce
December 15, 2007 2:50 AM
logan says:
I think you shouldve read what they were telling you In the popup. You know that's not the only thing thing that can happen if you aren't cautious on the web.
December 16, 2007 6:20 AM
hvu says:
And what if the social networks allow us to sell our friends?
Friends For Sale, a facebook community where you can buy and sell your friends! Get in and try it for fun!
www.friendsforsale.net
February 8, 2008 3:51 PM