শনিবার, নভেম্বর ১৩, ২০১০

Facebook, Google spar over data policies

Google's spat with Facebook over data portability and contacts isn't over.
A few days after Google changed the terms of service for sites using Gmail contacts data to require two-way data exporting if they want to allow their users to automatically import Gmail contacts, Facebook figured out a way around the restriction. TechCrunch noticed that Facebook installed a button on its "find your friends" page that lets Gmail users automatically download their contacts as a CSV (comma-separated value) file and then import that file into Facebook.
In response, Google e-mailed tech reporters an unsolicited statement on Facebook's move. "We're disappointed that Facebook didn't invest their time in making it possible for their users to get their contacts out of Facebook. As passionate believers that people should be able to control the data they create, we will continue to allow our users to export their Google contacts."
All this posturing is about whether or not Facebook should allow users to export all their data from the social network. Facebook currently lets you export things like photos, but doesn't let you export the list of friends--and the corresponding contact information--that make up your social network. Google has made data portability a key portion of its manifesto, while Facebook isn't sure that this is proper in social media, since a Facebook user hasn't necessarily given their friends permission to take that data outside of the service.
What's really at stake is that both companies want access to the data found in Facebook. Google wants Facebook to be more open so it can index its pages and develop its own repository of socially tuned data, something that has long eluded the search giant. Facebook wants to keep that data behind closed doors as to keep Facebook users active on the site, forcing advertisers to come to Facebook in order to reach those people with highly targeted ads.
But yeah, data portability and privacy and stuff.


Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-20022300-265.html#ixzz158ttrwTN

৪টি মন্তব্য:

  1. I'm not a fan of either company when it comes to their true motives, but Facebook shouldn't act like they own your data and then call exporting it a privacy issue.

    উত্তরমুছুন
  2. while Facebook isn't sure that this is proper in social media, since a Facebook user hasn't necessarily given their friends permission to take that data outside of the service."

    You've got to be kidding! Facebook will make openly public anything you put in their service (without thinking twice) as long as it doesn't detract from the service by allowing people to defect, which is in essence what would happen if they allowed this happen.

    উত্তরমুছুন
  3. This is pretty crazy, facebook allows you to sync your contacts on your mobile phone making phone #s and email accessible on the device but will not allow you to export the content anywhere else. They are contradicting themselves and I have a feeling they are just scared that it will make it too easy for other services to create great networks from your facebook friends like KIK messenger did a few days ago.

    উত্তরমুছুন
  4. I really doubt that Google is making a mistake by blocking facebook from importing Google contacts. Google should stay far away from facebook and not get itself into trouble by mixing with facebook. Facebook has become so insecure that Google is just protecting its users by doing this. It would be sensible if Google waits for a safer social networking plarform such as Mycube or Diaspora and tie up with them.

    উত্তরমুছুন