Just One of Facebooks Creepy 1984esque Features

Facebook has always come under fire for their privacy policies, who was able to get access to your information without your approval, and making several of their features "opt-out". Those who were unlikely enough to hear about the new feature, are automatically in it, and agree to do whatever it's terms are.

There have been several features on Facebook that are just creepy, and as I go through the back pages of the site, I'll find a few more, and some more, etc.

This one is something I bet FB users are met with everyday:

"Recognized Devices: Just One of FB's 1984esque features"

So users now have a stored list of their trusted devices. How does FB know it's trusted? I'm assuming it has a list that has IP, the name you give it IE: "Home Computer", and the account it's associated with. So now your "Home Computer" is trusted.

This data has numerous implications. Facebook can analyze and better market ways to get more exposure to sponsors in high volume devices, and focus efforts on lower volume areas, thanks to your kind help. Additionally, who has access to this list? How secure is this list? It wouldn't be too hard for someone with a list of IP's, and names of computers, and the owner of the account to cause some serious problems.

This is done under the guise of security. In the event that someone logs in at a site, or computer not designated to be you, FB will alert you on your next sign in, and ask if it was you, someone you know, or unauthorized. If chances are it was you, then you get the opportunity (albeit forced) to now name that location.

If people simple followed simple internet safety guidelines, had a firewall and anti-virus installed, and parents took responsibility by teaching their children how to act on the internet, and how to properly form a password, to look at the url's, etc, then FB wouldn't be developing these features, and this one doesn't make my account information feel any more secure.

O, yea? What happens if it was unauthorized? Federal task force to hunt the offender down? Doubtful. Rob Paul Rally.....certainly. A 1 man person flash-mob at the NYC Fed......absolutely.

Amended August 20:
I received an e-mail from Facebook today alerting me that a device I had signed in on, had signed in, and wasn't on my recognized list. It shows the devices name, which I NEVER name, the exact time, and IP address, and the location.

 That huge list of all the information is a scary thing, I'm more afraid of that than someone using my FB account without my knowing. Not to mention they have a list of every computer/ip/location you've ever been on FB with.