Facebook reached
1 billion users today, so we figured it was a good time for a privacy PSA. Even without
your permission, many Facebook apps can access your data with
your friends’ permission. Many of the most used apps–including Skype, Yahoo, and Daily Horoscope–include this loophole. The career networking app BranchOut is a good example: it requests “your basic info” plus seven other permissions, including your and your friends’ current locations, your and your friends’ work and education history, and your email address.
Many people just click “allow” on all app permissions, but there are some that users should think twice about allowing. While there are approximately 70 different permissions that app developers can use, many are quite invasive when it comes to online privacy. This makes it pretty complicated for everyday Facebook users to sort through the risks.
Take matters into your own hands by limiting how your data can be used through your friends by following the step-by-step instructions below.
