Facebook drops the ball
Published: 12 May, 2011, 07:49Pavel Arabov
The most popular social networking site in the world, Facebook has been operating since 2004. Today, its users number 600 million people. Symantec experts constantly monitor the situation with various online threats. Finally, the results of this work from the past several years have been published. The scale of personal information leakage through Facebook is astonishing. Daily, people install about 20 million additional services and applications to their Facebook page. Of these, about 100,000 are dangerous. For example, they allow the people and companies that developed them to look through personal profiles and photos, read users’ correspondence, and even send letters on behalf of an unsuspecting person.
In the past year, there have been at least two major scandals with Facebook involving the leakage of users’ personal information. In October 2010, it became known that developers of certain Facebook applications were selling the clients’ ID numbers to dozens of advertising agencies. These users were flooded by advertising, which took into account their weaknesses and interests. In total, the personal data of tens of millions of users of the social networking site fell into the hands of “outsiders.”
But Facebook is not the only one to get caught freely using people’s secrets. On Tuesday, the major technology companies Apple and Google were explaining themselves before the US Senate. It was recently revealed that Apple’s iPhones and iPads were tracking users’ locations. Google’s Android smart phones are able to do the same. Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs, did not appear at the hearing, instead sending a vice president of software technology at Apple, Guy Tribble, to offer an explanation in his place.
“Apple does not track users’ locations. Apple has never done so and does not plan to ever do so. We are deeply committed to protecting the privacy of our users,” he assured the senators.
Google’s director of public policy, Alan Davidson, was more candid, explaining that the company “does not control the behavior of third-party applications or how they handle location information” obtained from telephones.
In Russia, the products of Facebook, Apple and Google are used by millions. Our authorities are aware of the security problems.
“Many modern information systems have a commercial aim to learn as much as possible about the users and later ‘sell’ this information to marketing companies. And the common goal of the regulators, legislators and users is to establish clear boundaries with advertisers, which cannot be crossed,” said Russia’s minister of telecommunications and mass communication, Igor Shchegolev, in a May 4 interview with Izvestia.
But there is not much chance of avoiding danger completely, say experts. A 100% guarantee is only possible with the complete avoidance of internet usage. And this, most people would agree, is practically impossible in today’s world.
But it is better to remain vigilant.
“Deviation from the usual behavior of a certain system or a server [could be a sign of] suspicious activity,” warned Aleksandr Fominenkov, director of development at Group-IB. “For example, if your computer has suddenly reloaded, you should not log onto you online banking and enter your password immediately after.”
It is even possible to take Facebook, Apple, and Google to court.
“In this case, citizens’ rights are certainly violated,” said the chairman of Arutyunov and Partners, Aleksadnr Arutyunov. “We can talk about Article 272 of the Criminal Code, which deals with illegal access to computer information, if it has been copied. The punishment is a fine of up to 200,000 rubles or up to two years in prison. But if the act was organized with the use of an official position or an organized group (which is most likely in this case), then the fine could amount to 100,000 to 300,000 rubles, and the term of imprisonment is extended to up to three years.”
“Another issue is if these individuals are in the United States,” he continued. “Then the trial will need to be held there, and services of a US lawyer will have to be used. Legal fees will start at $3,000-$5,000. But the case is not easy, and a powerful attorney will ask for tens of thousands of dollars in fees. Generally speaking, Russian Facebook users could file a joint claim. If they all chip in, then they can hire the best lawyer.”
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