08 September 2010

How To Disable Facebook Instant Personalization

Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Did you know that the new Facebook Instant Personalization privacy setting shares your user information to third party websites on default?

According to what I have understand through several articles, Facebook Instant Personalization means that any application or third party you use through FB will be able to pull out your user information to give you a personalized experience on their app/site.

I don't really know, if this is actually good or evil like discussed by many people on the web? Some say that these new settings make it easier for apps or sites to determine what you probably like on their site. You'll be able to see what people in your friends circle like related to this certain app/site, and it also works the other way around. On the other hand there are also people that say Instant Personalization leaves the doors open to privilege abuse. People are able to see your related activities and information, weather you like it or not. You can find more insightful articles on this issue on the web.

If you feel uncomfortable about this whole situation and decide that you want to be more in charge of your private information, you can still opt out of this setting. Here are steps on how to disable Facebook Instant Personalization:
  1. Choose Privacy Settings from Account.
  2. Scroll down to the left bottom of page and edit your settings in Applications and Websites.
  3. Edit settings in Instant Personalization.
  4. Deselect Enable instant personalization on partner websites and confirm to save changes.
You also might want to check out the Edit settings in Info accessible through your friends. There is a note saying that: your name, profile picture, gender, networks and user ID (along with any other information you've set to everyone) is available to friends' applications unless you turn off platform applications and websites.


Music is expression of harmony in sound.
Love is the expression of harmony in life
~Stephen F. Gaskin

Keep a song in your heart.

8 appreciated note(s):

Jingle said...

it seems like you have a wealthy knowledge of issues and solutions of such...
Happy Thursday!

Anonymous said...

Great advice my friend :) Thanks so much for sharing :)

Nessa said...

thanks for the info. this will be very handy.

Photo Dialogues said...

Yeah, there even is a new application about places that you have to disable at the Privacy Settings too.

Maude Lynn said...

This is one of the many reasons that I avoid Facebook like the plague!

Anonymous said...

Hmm.. kinda scary.. Thnks for the info, Rosidah :)
I tagged you: http://imagina1.wordpress.com/2010/09/11/band-wagon-three-things-tag-awards/

Bill ~ {The Old Fart} said...

I have gone into my facebook and disabled a lot already, or only have it that friends can see things. This is also the main reason I got rid of all my photo albums I had and won't be creating new ones.Though from what I understand when deleted they stay on FB's Server anyway. I guess once there they stay for life.

tattytiara said...

Yeah, I haven't even told facebook whether I'm a boy or a girl yet, and it's driving the thing nuts.