Request to remove Facebook "like" buttons from fibsboard

[inim]

I noticed that the forum pages started to contain facebook "like" buttons. As this technically is a link to "http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http://www.fibsboard.com/index.php?topic=4906", facebook is given access to cookies whenever you surf on fibsboard. Given the dire effects on privacy, and the fact that semantically it makes little sense to report preferences to facebook (fibsboard has better, local means for that) I hereby request the removal of the respective function from fibsboard pages.

[jackdaddy]

If we are voting, I like the "like" buttons...

[moonshadow]

I have little interest or use for FB, though many find it useful or entertaining. What I do deplore is the apparent increase in the invasion of privacy, the insidious manner in how user information is shared or distributed and the over kill commercialization of the site.

I would agree on this with inim that the buttons be removed. The exception would be if FB agreed to pay stog $1 million to have those buttons remain, but even then, I would not use them.

[socksey]

I'm with inim and moonshadow on this one.

[diane]

Now I feel guilty...It was me that asked for a 'like' button - as you have on facebook....

This was the implementation stog found to meet that - but it doesnt work properly, in that if you like one post..you automatically like every post in the thread..which is kinda counter to what the initial idea was. ie in a contentious debate, like the ones we regularly have here - it might be nice to show support for a point of view..maybe even anonymously - given how harsh an environment fibs can be.

The idea is nice..but in light of what inim has explained there, I dont think the broken feature is worth the price.

[stog]

yep i agree too
removed 

[diane]

Diane likes stogs post...

Guess we are back to the longhand way     

[pck]

A couple of links I found useful concerning webtracking issues:

http://lifehacker.com/5843969/facebook-is-tracking-your-every-move-on-the-web-heres-how-to-stop-it
(See especially "What Can I Do About It?" further down the page.)

http://nikcub.appspot.com/posts/logging-out-of-facebook-is-not-enough
http://nikcub.appspot.com/posts/facebook-fixes-logout-issue-explains-cookies

It's not just Facebook. Google, Twitter and other webservices use similar techniques to collect personal information and browsing behaviour through third party websites which install their tracking code. Google+ has its "+1" button which is similar to FB's "like", but Google vintage does it silently, without any visible elements.

A straightforward way of blocking the kind of tracking Facebook uses is to disable cookies and javascript in your browser, but many websites do not work properly without those. It is possible to get around that by fine tuning which sites can set cookies and use javascript using Firefox's cookie preferences and the Firefox add-on "noscript". If this seems too cumbersome, there are Firefox add-ons which block the flow of information to Facebook, Google and Twitter from web pages which have their tracking code installed:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/fbdc/?src=search
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/gdc/?src=search
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/twdc/?src=search

These work by disabling "like" buttons (on non-Facebook pages) and other (visible or invisible) code elements of web pages which send back information to F, G and T. They also allow you to unblock a page if you want/need to. (In the case of Facebook, the "like" buttons will reappear.) Simply click on the little "no trespassing" sign(s) which appear in the URL bar of Firefox. You can also show those to your friends who think you are paranoid. Or go straight to fibs shouts.

There is also an "all-in-one" add-on (with the disadvantage of not working together with the "noscript" javascript blocker):

http://download.cnet.com/Disconnect-for-Firefox/3000-11745_4-75645689.html
(This download page sends back info to F, G and T itself...)

[Tanika]

I'm with inim and moonshadow and socks and stog on this! 

[PersianLord]

I think this hostile action will have severe adverse affects on the FaceBook's coming IPO.

PL

[jackdaddy]

I'm with PersianLord and PCK on this.