It's interesting really. I wonder how much damage can be done with facebook apps. Given the ability for them to post to other people could you get one going "viral"? They have a central "stop" point though so Facebook themselves have reasonable control.
In the end, running an app on facebook is much safer than running an app on, say, your computer surely?
Probably, but then most sensible people don't random strange applications on thier PC either (or rather they shouldn't). Plus at least on your PC you might have anti-virus and/or anti-malware type things to help keep you safe.
Me, I just block all FB apps. It meant I had to give up the 'where I've been' map thingy, but I think I'll live. As for the rest, I'm positively happy that I can't have snowballs and other crap sent at me.
most sensible people don't random strange applications on thier PC either (or rather they shouldn't)
Hmm... I think the second not the first is my experience. Then again, I'm pretty cavalier about the whole thing too -- what's the worst that could happen -- it'll email my bank account passwords to random Nigerians, insult everyone in my address book and then delete my data. Life's too short to worry about this so what the hell, install "dodgylooking.exe" and hope.
Me, I just block all FB apps.
I went that step further by not signing up for facebook. Like Windows Vista I'm thinking "i'll skip this one and wait for the next 'must have' social network".
Note the use of the word 'sensible' in my original statement. I of course probably should have acknowledged that this is a pretty small minority (especially on FB I suspect). :o)
I use FB a bit, mostly for the photo sharing, but its not a lot of use for much else.
Heh... it depends on your definition of sensible -- for me "life's too short to worry that much about your data or online privacy"... would cut it. For others, not running apps except "trusted" ones (where "trusted" is never ever defined) is "sensible". :-)
IIRC, at least one FB app has already 'gone viral'. There was a Myspac exploit ditto, and the LJ 'crush' thing which turned out to be a data-collection exercise.
I think it's conceptually different. A FB thingy is on a far-away computer and hey, look, it's just a pretty thing that sends my friends presents. What harm could that do?
On yr home box, you can be offered nudie-prod films that you can look at if you just download this new codec-pack. In theory you'll have AV or anti-spyware code running to stop it all going Horribly Wrong, or a firewall to warn you about code making outbound connections. However, we're back to 'Nevermind that dialog box thing, show me the nudie-prod pics!'
In the end, running an app on facebook is much safer than running an app on, say, your computer surely?
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Me, I just block all FB apps. It meant I had to give up the 'where I've been' map thingy, but I think I'll live. As for the rest, I'm positively happy that I can't have snowballs and other crap sent at me.
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Hmm... I think the second not the first is my experience. Then again, I'm pretty cavalier about the whole thing too -- what's the worst that could happen -- it'll email my bank account passwords to random Nigerians, insult everyone in my address book and then delete my data. Life's too short to worry about this so what the hell, install "dodgylooking.exe" and hope.
Me, I just block all FB apps.
I went that step further by not signing up for facebook. Like Windows Vista I'm thinking "i'll skip this one and wait for the next 'must have' social network".
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I use FB a bit, mostly for the photo sharing, but its not a lot of use for much else.
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I think it's conceptually different. A FB thingy is on a far-away computer and hey, look, it's just a pretty thing that sends my friends presents. What harm could that do?
On yr home box, you can be offered nudie-prod films that you can look at if you just download this new codec-pack. In theory you'll have AV or anti-spyware code running to stop it all going Horribly Wrong, or a firewall to warn you about code making outbound connections. However, we're back to 'Nevermind that dialog box thing, show me the nudie-prod pics!'
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I didn't hear about the FB "virus" -- I guess it was the same sort of idea.
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