It's not just unscientific, it might also be invalid!
In response to ongoing privacy concerns about Facebook, I posted this message on my profile on the site: "Quick unscientific poll for my media class: Who knew/did not know the applications you use in Facebook (Farmville, Mafia Wars, Bejeweled Blitz etc.) can collect information when you give them access to your profile?"
I also included a link to a Washington Post story describing some of what I was asking about. I got four responses from my Facebook Friends:
All four responses were from women in their 20's or 30's, (I don't know if that says something about me or about Facebook), each of whom I would consider fairly tech-savy.
I would have theorized that most people are not really aware of the information they are giving away to those applications, but most of the people who answered said they knew about this. Perhaps the people who did not know, or don't think about such things would be less likely to admit it in a public forum like my wall?
The answers do still include some uncertainty. Perhaps Facebook should try to make its policies more noticeable? Right now, they are down at the bottom of the homepage, which is a fairly common place for a policy like this to be on other sites.
- Knew that.
- I knew that. But I made the assumption that it was only info that you made available on your profile. Not anything that you may have input when you registered but choose not to have on your profile. Not sure if that is the right assumption or not though....
- knew that, but not exactly sure which info is not accessible
- Why are you trying to make me hate my farm? Hmmmmm???
All four responses were from women in their 20's or 30's, (I don't know if that says something about me or about Facebook), each of whom I would consider fairly tech-savy.
I would have theorized that most people are not really aware of the information they are giving away to those applications, but most of the people who answered said they knew about this. Perhaps the people who did not know, or don't think about such things would be less likely to admit it in a public forum like my wall?
The answers do still include some uncertainty. Perhaps Facebook should try to make its policies more noticeable? Right now, they are down at the bottom of the homepage, which is a fairly common place for a policy like this to be on other sites.
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