Personal Facebook details of 100m users published
Updated on 29 July 2010
Learn how to alter your social networking settings, as the man who collected and published the details of 100 million Facebook users tells Channel 4 News why his data is crucial.
Security consultant Ron Bowes published the data of millions of Facebook users after he used code to scan and collect private data not hidden by the user's privacy settings.
The published list includes the names of every searchable user, their profile URL and their unique ID.
Facebook has stressed that the information is already publically available online but Mr Bowes said the data highlighted a "scary privacy issue".
Speaking to Channel 4 News the Canadian security consultant said Facebook needed to be more open and explicit about giving users the option of changing privacy settings. Mr Bowes said it was already too late for many users to opt out of certain settings because information had already been collected.
"The biggest privacy issue is that Facebook gives you the option to opt out of search engines by clicking an option on your profile which is difficult to find," he said.
"But you can't opt out of my list because it's already generated.
"It's all public information. All I did was take it and put it into a form that makes is easily searchable and useable by people. As far as I know there is no other source of pure statistical data like this and that makes it interesting."
Changing your Facebook privacy settings
Facebook has a number of options to allow you to decide how much information you share. The option to "edit" privacy controls can be found in a user's account section (top right hand toolbar of Facebook). By clicking on "privacy", found at the bottom of most pages, users can also read a detailed description of the options available.
Settings are divided into four sections: sharing on Facebook; basic directory information; applications and websites and block lists. The four options alter how information you upload is shared between friends, strangers and the wider external web.
For those wishing to hide all information - plus information shared through friends - users should the first three settings. The fourth can be used to block other users.
Option 1: basic directory information Clicking "view settings" in "basic directory information" controls will direct you to a page where internal Facebook options can be changed so to one of three options. Information such as education and work data can be viewed by either everyone, friends of friends of friends only.
Option 2: sharing on Facebook The recommended option in "sharing on Facebook" means it is possible for data such as birthdays to be seen by others. To change your settings so "friends only" can view personal data click "customise settings" and alter to your preferred choice.
Option 3: Applications and websites Settings can be altered in the "applications and websites" section of the control panel to edit whether external websites, such as search engines, can find your Facebook details. Each one has its own separate settings to change, displayed in "edit settings".
Option 4: block lists This section of the privacy settings allows users to block other people who have Facebook accounts. You can either permanently block someone using their name or email address, or block them from inviting you to join applications.
For an official rundown on how the different privacy settings may affect you visit the Facebook guide for controlling your information.
Mr Bowes said he didn’t think the data list would change much on Facebook, although the social networking company may consider making it easier for users to opt out.
The data of 100 million users was published on a file-sharing BitTorrent service and was soon available to download across the internet. On popular file-sharing site Pirate Bay the list has already been distributed by thousands of users.
Mr Bowes told Channel 4 News he collected the information as part of developing a tool to test the security of online networks.
By downloading the data and compiling a list of the users' first initial and surname he was able to make a list of the most common and probable usernames. The security consultant said that technically this data could then be combined with commonly used passwords to test the security of sites.
"From a research perspective it's important for me," he said.
Facebook has come under criticism for privacy settings which some say are complex. The social networking site, which has over 500 million active users, has defended its settings saying that users are given the option to control what they keep private.
