Facebook isn't secretly sharing your cellphone number and all the numbers in your phone, despite a barrage of warnings spread on the network recently that said otherwise. But the rumor should serve as a wake-up call for users: Are you aware of all the personal information you're giving to the company?
The recent alert showed users how to access the phone numbers of Facebook friends and personal contacts. After clicking on "Account" in the top right, and then "Edit friends," a page appears for managing groups of friends. On the left side, there's a link for "Contacts"; clicking that shows phone numbers that only the user can see.
The numbers are compiled from friends that decided to share their phone number with you and phone numbers already in your phone, if you use a Facebook app to sync your contacts.
You can break the sync between your smartphone app by clicking on a link on that same page, in the far right-hand column.
But this isn't a new feature Facebook quietly released. The Contacts list, formerly called Phonebook, has existed for a long time. Facebook made a point to clarify that recently, saying, "Just like on your phone, only you can see these numbers."
So why the alarm? For starters, it shows that many users still don't understand what exactly they are sharing or what tools are available to them on Facebook. If you're ever unsure of what you are sharing, go to your account privacy settings and click "Preview My Profile" to see what it looks like to another user or friend. And read through pop-up menus regarding adding apps or sharing before blindly accepting them.
But the concerns also stem from something deeper. Today's news is flooded with reports of hackers breaking into the databases of large companies. E-mails and credit-card information from Sony's PlayStation Network users were compromised. Epsilon couldn't protect the millions of e-mail addresses it has on file for more than 2,500 clients, such as Best Buy, Verizon, Walgreens and Home Shopping Network. News websites have been hacked along with staff databases for many government entities.
Recently, members of the hacker group Anonymous have threatened to "destroy" Facebook on Nov. 5, although it's unknown how true that threat is.
