I have been working with Abraham Harrison, my firm, Flugpo, our client, and MyDataIsMyData.org to create a plugin, currently for IE, that would protect and alert browsers from any Facebook Beacon sneakiness. Check it out! The plugin is forthcoming but it’s not out just yet outside of the internal beta wall. We have some pretty amazing press so far, Mashable: Facebook Beacon Haters Get Their Own Plugin, and, TechCrunch: MyDataIsMyData: An Anti-Facebook Beacon Plug-In That Nobody Needs.
Mashable: Facebook Beacon Haters Get Their Own Plugin
Facebook Beacon has caught a lot of flack since its release, to the dismay of many advertisers out there. While the backlash hasn’t been as noticeable as some of Facebook’s other releases, there are still a good number of folks out there that would rather not see their faces on other people’s feeds as part of an advertisement.
My Data is My Data has beta-launched a browser plugin that will alert you when Facebook Beacon’s system tries to make a connection with a partner site, so you can determine when and where you’d like to share your third-party purchasing activity with your Facebook friends. While there are already a number of privacy options inserted into Facebook, and even more services out there that will rid you of cookie problems all together, Facebook Beacon’s mainstream press presence in itself may help My Data is My Data gain a good amount of users based on principle alone.
The plugin is still a bit buggy, but the team is working on it. Given Facebook’s restrictions to curb newsfeed abuse, and the limited growth of Beacon, there will surely be more tweaking on Facebook’s end in order to ensure that end users are more or less happy, whether this is through voluntary manipulation or oblivious bliss, with the Beacon’s implementation.
TechCrunch: MyDataIsMyData: An Anti-Facebook Beacon Plug-In That Nobody Needs
The Facebook Beacon controversy may not be making headlines any more, but the privacy concerns it raised still linger. According to this post
about MyDataIsMyData, an upcoming privacy-monitoring service sponsored by classifieds site Flugpo
Facebook Beacon tracks usage information by monitoring cookies on a client’s computer. As users browse various participating websites, such as Blockbuster and eBay, their activities are relayed back to Facebook, where it can be shared with friends. Many users find such notifications to be intrusive, and much of the original controversy stemmed from the automatic inclusion of all users in the system.
The MyDataIsMyData plug-in notifies users via their browser toolbar when Facebook or one of Beacon’s participating affiliates creates or accesses these cookies. The plug-in can automatically delete these cookies at regular intervals, and also allows for users to individually select which (if any) sites will still function with Beacon. Finally, the toolbar will feature a constantly-updated list of sites that participate in Beacon, allowing users to boycott them, should they choose to do so. MyDataIsMyData will soon be available for Internet Exporer, and plans to expand to offer functionality for both Firefox and Macintosh-based browsers.
It should be noted that while the plugin offers some value in terms of a sense of security, it is fairly easy to monitor cookies with a number of extensions using the Firefox browser. Furthermore, by installing the free toolbar, the users will be placing their trust in MyDataIsMyData—the same type of users who presumably would be put off by installing any sort of monitoring software on their computers.
My Data is My Data Social Media News Release
Flugpo Sponsors Development of My Data is My Data
Counters Growing Concern about the Privacy Rights of Social Network Users
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ews Facts
In response to the growing concerns that users of social network sites have had over privacy, the growing social network site, MyDataIsMyData.org.
This free plug-in (found at MyDataIsMyData.org)is a toolbar that will allow users several different options to monitor and delete cookies, offline content, and track visits to Facebook Beacon collaborator companies. Once downloaded, the toolbar allows users to decide how often he or she would like certain cookies deleted. The user can choose to delete Facebook cookies and Facebook Beacon collaborator companies’ cookies. It also includes the option to delete all cookies at once or none at all.
Selling private information for profit unbeknownst to the users is an abuse of trust and MyDataIsMyData.org hopes to empower users by allowing them to control the amount of personal information that they make visible.
MyDataIsMyData.org was created as a direct response to the Facebook Beacon uproar, which broached many privacy concerns for users of social network sites.
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The Facebook Beacon refers to the agreement that Facebook has with popular online retailers. This agreement allows Facebook to utilize their users’ private information in ways that violate their privacy. When a Facebook user purchases something with one of the participating online retailers a message is sent to the user’s “friends” on Facebook, notifying them of the his or her purchase or transaction with that online retailer.
Facebook Beacon was meant to be optional; a buyer/Facebook user could choose to opt out of letting their friends know about their latest purchase. However, several instances have emerged in which personal information from the Facebook Beacon network was sent to the user’s friends without his or her approval. This is just one example of many ways in which social network sites have been working to monetize their user’s experience.
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Flugpo was developed as a place where people can go to make friends, share photos, network professionally, share ideas, buy and sell items, and list and locate jobs. As an online resource for everyday people, Flugpo is a great community for people to make new friends, share common interests and reach out to like-minded individuals and discuss current topics, review top movies and share stories Flugpo also creates a space where businesses can promote their services.
Flugpo is often referred to as “Myspace meets Craigslist” by their members. Created in the 2007, Flugpo takes an interesting approach to classified listings by eliminating the anonymity features found with Craigslist and allowing the members to connect with one another. “The classifieds, as the world knows them now has no community, said David Metz, founder of Flugpo. Each classified posting is linked to the profile of the member posting the ad. Given the current landscape of Internet safety, Flugpo is quick to address safety concerns by connecting all classified listings with a “face and name.”
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For Press and PR Inquiries
Contact Dani Sevilla, Media and PR Strategist at dani@mydataismydata.us
For More Information About Flugpo
Visit http://www.flugpo.com or email David Metz, CEO at davidmetz@flugpo.com
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Download the My Data is My Data Logo (400 pixels)
Download a Screenshot of the Plug-In
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The My Data is My Data Group on Facebook
Information about My Data is My Data on the Flugpo Forums
The My Data is My Data Group on Flugpo
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