Facebook’s Enhanced “Download Your Information”
The “Download Your Information” tool was first introduced by Facebook in 2010. This was used to retrieve all users’ videos and photos, wall posts, sent and received messages, and about 5 other categories of information that users uploaded. Downloadable as a .zip file, users were able to make a back up of what they have previously uploaded to the social networking site.
Privacy issues about Facebook’s access to private information and its advertising services prompted critics to ask the company to improve the tool. They urged the company to let users know of other information that it stores about them in its database. The aim is for users to become conscious of how much data they have shared so that they could have more control over it.
As a response to privacy advocates, Facebook just announced that it expanded the coverage of the tool. With the latest enhancement, users will be able to download their social networking activities with more detailed information. Some of the data categories that it will make accessible to users are their previous names, all friend requests made, and IP addresses that they logged on from.
The preceding situations prove that there are different categories of information that are stored by Facebook. These are also the sources of privacy concerns. However, even with Facebook’s new expansion, critics are still not pleased. According to them, this new addition is not enough, implying that more is needed to ensure full user privacy protection. Even so, such a move will help users realize how much and what information they have shared with the world.
The company clarified the extent to which users can use the tool. They cannot use the “Download Your Information” tool to download their friends’ information such as photos, status updates and other data. There have been lots of complaints that were brought against Facebook that pertain to privacy issues while using the site. The newly added categories are another step to attaining the goals of better user protection. Facebook promised that in July of this year, more changes will be rolled out. At present, there are 39 out of 84 information categories that users can download by using the “Download Your Information” tool.
mamutijebem Says:
I think that is very important to keep our information safe.Facebook should do everything they can to prevent third parties to get the information about users. Every step they do about it is good.