Facebook reveals secrets you haven’t shared

[Vinnie From Indy]

The increasing amount of personal information that can been gleaned by computer programs that track how people use Facebook has been revealed by an extensive academic study.

Such programmes can discern undisclosed private information such as Facebook users’ sexuality, drug-use habits and even whether their parents separated when they were young, according to the study by Cambridge University academics.

In one of the biggest studies of its kind, scientists from the university’s psychometrics team and a Microsoft-funded research centre analysed data from 58,000 Facebook users to predict traits and other information that were not provided in their profiles.

The algorithms were 88 per cent accurate in predicting male sexual orientation, 95 per cent for race and 80 per cent for religion and political leanings. Personality types and emotional stability were also predicted with accuracy ranging from 62-75 per cent.

More at:
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/09c8172c-8a45-11e2-bf79-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2NGXE8CKX

[dipsydoodle]

1. First thing you need to lie about on FB

is your age and dob. If you've not already done so then change them.

[DesertFlower]

2. why?

[dipsydoodle]

5. Creates absurdies when others try to reconcile info.

.

[hollysmom]

6. people who know you, know how to contact you

people who don't know you don't need the information. I laugh at all the birthday greetings I get on facebook on my fake birthday under my dog's name. Also living in a different country and using a dead e-mail. My information on there is not for facebook's convenience, but for mine.

[dipsydoodle]

7. That's hilarious

[DesertFlower]

8. when i joined facebook almost 5 years ago

i had no idea that they would use my information.

[hollysmom]

9. well, they want to make money, so....

You can change most of your information, Sheila even changed her last name to gameplayer - which should have been a tip off to the person who checks these things.

[DesertFlower]

10. i just took my birth date off. i don't give me

e-mail or my phone # either.

[tarheelsunc]

3. They didn't really do so well at predicting sexual orientation apparently.

I could just say "every male is heterosexual" and my prediction would (most likely) be more accurate than theirs.

[snagglepuss]

4. k & r