Send to KindleDid you know that Facebook is now sharing your personal profile information with Microsoft Docs.com, Pandora, and Yelp? It is automatically shared unless, and until, you manually opt out. Facebook, by plugging into these other websites claims the following:
“You’ll find a personal and social experience the moment you arrive on our select partner sites — currently Microsoft Docs.com, Pandora, and Yelp. We’re working closely with these partners in a pilot program so you can quickly connect with your friends and see relevant content on their sites. These sites personalize your experience using your public Facebook information.”
To opt out of Facebook’s new profile sharing is a multiple step process:
STEP 1:
Go to the “Privacy Settings.” Go to “Applications and Web Sites.” Then go to “Instant Personalization Pilot Program,” and click on edit settings.
STEP 2:
For all users there’s an automatic check in the box below, which allows Facebook to share your information with other web sites. You are automatically “opted in.” If you do not wish to share this information, uncheck the box.
STEP 3:
Even after you’ve done this, it is not clear whether you need to “opt out” at the sites where Facebook is intending to share your information, like Pandora and Yelp, and soon many more sites. Be sure to login to your accounts at these sites and look at the upper left hand corner of the page to see whether those sites are recognizing your Facebook account and activity. Here again, you need to opt out.
But a word of caution, as Facebook concedes, your information may still be shared through your friends accounts, unless you block the application from these web sites.