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Author Topic: IDEA: Facebook Security Advisor  (Read 4208 times)

Briansdad

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IDEA: Facebook Security Advisor
« on: November 29, 2011, 08:33 AM »
Facebook has so many privacy\security options that it's hard to know what vulnerabilities might be lingering undetected. It would be great if there were an app that would scan the Facebook settings and advise on adjustments according to a selected level of security and privacy from a predefined set of levels provided by the app which are explained in a clear, newbie-user-freindly manner.

This may be well beyond the scope of a "snack," but just in case it's more easily do-able than I'd guess, I offer the idea here. forgive me if I ask too much.

I envision a list with check boxes that describe the desired level of security\privacy. some examples might be:

  • I want as many people as possible to see my wall
  • I want only my friends and family to see my wall
  • I want my posts to my wall to only appear on my wall
  • I'm not interested in having friends of friends discovering me or my posts
  • Anyone can see my photos but no one should be able to tag them
  • I want to be notified if someone tries to share a post of mine before it is shared
  • etc.


From the checked items the app should be able to check my settings to see is they match my indicated preference and advise how to make or automatically make the necessary changes to comply with the checklist wishes. Hot links for key word to glossery or pop-up definition would be helpful ("share a post" or "tag" or Wall" etc.)

Bill
« Last Edit: November 29, 2011, 11:32 AM by Briansdad, Reason: expanded description »

Curt

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Re: IDEA: Facebook Security Advisor
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2011, 12:47 PM »
It doesn't sound like a snack , but a full meal...

Meanwhile, try http://www.donottrac...lus.com/giveaway.php
-privacy protection.

app103

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Re: IDEA: Facebook Security Advisor
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2011, 03:05 PM »
The problem with this is that to accomplish this the app has to be able to access your facebook profile, and it could only do that as a facebook app. This would require the coder that creates it to host it and make it available to the public. That could be quite expensive if millions of facebook users decide to use it.

Additionally, it would only have access to what facebook makes available to app developer through its API, which doesn't include things like privacy and security settings, so it couldn't be fine tuned to share things only with certain people.

A facebook security app can only do an all or none approach with privacy related issues, and only in relation to publicly accessible information. It would have no way of knowing if photos can be seen by family only. It can only tell if it can see your photos, either with your permission through facebook's api, or outside by viewing your profile as the public would see it.

So, you only have the option of checking if what you are sharing can be seen by the public. There is an app for that already...Bitdefender Safego...and it will check your profile for anything that may be leaking out to the public that you would have control over. Just look at the bottom of the left sidebar within the app.

It was developed by a well known antivirus company, and it will also check the links you and your friends post and alert you to any malware/spam/scam links that you guys might not be aware of.

Briansdad

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Re: IDEA: Facebook Security Advisor
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2011, 04:16 PM »
thanks. thought it was too much to ask but what do i know.

tomos

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Re: IDEA: Facebook Security Advisor
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2011, 02:57 AM »
I suspect there probably is an app that does this -
I am NOT recommending this one which I installed last year - especially seeing as I cant figure out how to use it now.
https://www.facebook...ender.safego?sk=info

EDIT/ it's actually a sort of FB anti-virus, but if I remember right, it went through my security settings with me when I installed it.

One would also have to be careful with the settings of the security app (I just removed a few rights for that app)
Tom

Briansdad

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Re: IDEA: Facebook Security Advisor
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2011, 08:10 AM »
Thansks. I'll check this out.