Facebook scares me (already)

breadmonkey

I'm just in the process of signing up for an account on Facebook. So far I've entered my name, email address and date of birth.

Now I'm on "Step" 1 and FB has given me a list of people that I might know. These are people from various aspects of my life including friends, family members, people from my class in college, class in secondary school, one of the clubs I was involved in etc.

So it looks like they know this because of the address list in my email account. How is this possible?

NothingMan

Do yourself a favour! Turn back while you still can!!!

jackiebaron

breadmonkey wrote: »

I'm just in the process of signing up for an account on Facebook. So far I've entered my name, email address and date of birth.

Now I'm on "Step" 1 and FB has given me a list of people that I might know. These are people from various aspects of my life including friends, family members, people from my class in college, class in secondary school, one of the clubs I was involved in etc.

So it looks like they know this because of the address list in my email account. How is this possible?

You didn't set up a crappy gmail account just for the purpose of joining facebook ??

Get real man! Never use your proper email address for registering with ANYTHING!!!!

kfallon

It doesn't scare me, it pisses me off hence why I won't have anything to do with it!

dr.bollocko

Welcome to facebook's technical support line. Your call is important to us. Please hold the line. At the tone please key in your bank account number.

Rabies

add me.
Join my mafia. Can we be farm buddies?

I like this.

bada_bing

you probably had friend requests/invitations from people sent to your mail account. it happened to me before, i ignored facebook invitations for about 2.5 years and then created an account, lo and behold all those people that asked me to join popped up on the facebook page.

easyeason3

Facebook is for losers.

pablomakaveli

It's just better to submit. The chip they plant in your brain stops hurting after a few months anyway so it's not so bad.

kfallon

easyeason3 wrote: »

Facebook is for losers.

Well said that lady!

Adelie

At some point they give you the option to provide your e-mail address and password and they will look at your contacts and see who is on Facebook.

Now you didn't do this, but if your contacts did, Facebook has seen your e-mail address in their list and now it recognises you when you sign up.

kfallon

Enough of this bullscheisen already, fook facebook, thread closed

breadmonkey

jackiebaron wrote: »

You didn't set up a crappy gmail account just for the purpose of joining facebook ??

Get real man! Never use your proper email address for registering with ANYTHING!!!!

It's actually an old email address that I use whenever I suspect what I'm signing up for will eventually start spamming me!

28064212

breadmonkey wrote: »

I'm just in the process of signing up for an account on Facebook. So far I've entered my name, email address and date of birth.

Now I'm on "Step" 1 and FB has given me a list of people that I might know. These are people from various aspects of my life including friends, family members, people from my class in college, class in secondary school, one of the clubs I was involved in etc.

So it looks like they know this because of the address list in my email account. How is this possible?

It's much more likely they got it from other people's address lists who allowed Facebook access. Example: your friend Jim joins Facebook, then he gives FB access to their gmail address list to suggest friends. Your email address is on Jim's address list, but you aren't connected to FB yet, so FB stores the email address as a future possible. When you joined, it suggested people that are Jim's friend. If even 3 or 4 of your friends had done this, FB will be able to build a pretty accurate list of people you might know. Also, if people had previously sent FB invitations to you, those will be marked against your address as well

At least, that's much more likely than FB hacking your Gmail account in a matter of seconds

Kimono-Girl

Ha ha you used your real e-mail address!

no one has my e-mail address! no one but me

28064212

candlelover wrote: »

Ha ha you used your real e-mail address!

no one has my e-mail address! no one but me

...
...

So why do you have an email address?

Zascar

Ugh, people with their Tinfoil hats....

What are you actually scared about? Do you actually think facebook are going to do something bad to you? They have 500 MILLION members.

Just don't answer the emails from Nigerian Princes and you'll be fine

Copper23

People posting here about Facebook is like the boards equivelent of cavemen poking a TV set with sticks.

Facebook is an awesome piece of software, for a social netwiork site to be using elements of AI and stuff is class.

OP, facebook is a self learning tool, when you are actually set up, the more you join groups, or schools you were in or add friends, the more it learns. So it can recommend to you.

A simple one is, lets say you ahve 5 friends who are all friends with someone else, facebook will recommend the friend as it's a good possibility you know them too. They'll recommend people who were in similar clubs and colleges and same age.

In your case it's more than likely you got friends requesting to your email or else those users probably did a search on their email addresses frmo their hotmail or something and you were one of them. So it's logical when you do sign up that they'd recommend that person... I think it's awesome, so much thought put into such a simple web app.

All the facebook bashing here is lame. Its a web-site, get over it. It's not an evil conspiracy trying to take your soul and your bank account.

Kimono-Girl

28064212 wrote: »

...
...

So why do you have an email address?

This is why!

Zascar

Almost everyone has an online profile of some sort these days - just don't put anything online for everyone to see, unless you are ok with everyone seeing it. Simple as. It's a bit ridiculous for someone to say they are scared of facebook, when they are an active board.ie member with several Thousand posts :rolleyes: - and possibly lots of little bits of semi personal information. This is a completely public website, searching for anything you have ever said.

When it started, facebook differed to myspace as it was more private. Generally (depending on your security settings) the only people that can see all your stuff like photos and posts are your FRIENDS. And generally on facebook these are Actual Friends who you Know Personally.

The irony of boards members slagging facebook is quite amusing

Asphyxia

I admit I love facebook, realistically there's nothing to be afraid of it's handy to chat to people that aren't near by and finding people you haven't seen in years can be cool. I don't get the facebook bashing either a lot of boards members that bash it have accounts themselves, it's silly if you don't like it deactivate it simples

The only way you will know for sure if you like it or not OP is to set it up and then judge for yourself.

alwaysadub

I also have two email addresses-one for my facebook/boards/ any other crap that requires an email address, and one for important stuff.

If you don't want to use Facebook OP, don't. Delete your account.

I don't get this "fear" that alot of people have of it...it can only do harm if you're stupid enough to make it possible. Be savvy with what you put on it and what you make available to people and you'll be fine.

Go on, give it a proper go...it's the best thing ever for finding out the real reason why someone blew you off, or finding out what the ex's are up to (especially when you find one you haven't seen and their appearance has taken a massive step or 5 in the wrong direction since your time )

Dudess

I like Facebook. I would even go as far as to say I... Facebook. /hugs Facebook account

Killer Pigeon

DO NOT SIGN UP TO FACEBOOK!!
You'll be sucked down the black hole of conformity.

Ruu_Old

Zascar wrote: »

Ugh, people with their Tinfoil hats....

What are you actually scared about? Do you actually think facebook are going to do something bad to you? They have 500 MILLION members.

Just don't answer the emails from Nigerian Princes and you'll be fine

Pull the other one, mate. You just want all the money for yourself! :mad:

MarcusFenix

easyeason3 wrote: »

Facebook is for losers.

Losebook is for facers!

brummytom

breadmonkey wrote: »

I'm just in the process of signing up for an account on Facebook. So far I've entered my name, email address and date of birth.

Now I'm on "Step" 1 and FB has given me a list of people that I might know. These are people from various aspects of my life including friends, family members, people from my class in college, class in secondary school, one of the clubs I was involved in etc.

So it looks like they know this because of the address list in my email account. How is this possible?

Brummytom likes this

DublinWriter

As Hugh Lorrie said when asked if he Twittered like Stephen Fry does, "No I don't Twitter, I shush".

I think the likes of blogs and Facebook are good...to research other people. I recently turned down client work based on checking out the blogs of my prospective direct reports.

What goes on the Internet stays on the Internet...forever. Increasingly HR departments use the likes of Facebook to check out applicants and existing employees.

So don't throw out those tin-foil hats just yet lads.

Monsieur Folie

Facebook stole my soul.

.. Note the open Facebook tab right beside this open Boards tab, it's always there. ALWAYS. I can't close it, for fear of a notification from a friend, family member, or my girlfriend.

I repeat, Facebook stole my soul.

brummytom

Facebook being a cunt for anyone else at the moment?