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>> If your privacy practices aren't transparent, then you introduce doubt. Doubt leads to lower usage.

So true. Too many apps and services don't understand that as users, when we see "Connect to Facebook/Twitter", our minds are immediately filled with doubt and mistrust. Why? Because we want control over what our friends see about us, and we suspect your app doesn't give a shit and will shamelessly promote itself at our expense. So be clear. If you're going to write on my wall, say you will. And if you're not, then say you won't. Don't leave me guessing.




But is this true of most users? Or only people like us? (I'm really asking, I'm not sure; all I know is that I don't like using Facebook Connect.)


I think its most users. Remember also that a lot of facebook users don't use it much and don't understand all of what it does.


http://foursquare.com/

http://www.kingdomsatwar.com/

http://vimeo.com/

http://tripadvisor.com

(just examples, on the top of my head, that are using Facebook Connect).


Some friends of mine had posted, on Facebook, the results of some online autism-spectrum awareness test they had taken—or rather, the test app had posted their results and a link to its own page. So I followed the link, and the first thing I got was a dialog box asking me to give the app permission, not just to post to my wall, but to access my private Facebook information. I declined.

I will assume that my attention to boundary management proves that I am not autistic. The jury is still out on the authors of that app.


"I will assume that my attention to boundary management proves that I am not autistic. The jury is still out on the authors of that app."

Maybe I'm being overly PC, but two things:

1. Lack of boundary management is more of an issue of antisocial personality disorder or narcissism, not autism as far as I know.

2. Don't use autism as an insult.


Correct, and correct. My apologies.


I mitigate this by doing my main browsing in Firefox but always doing Facebook in Chrome, in Incognito mode. No cookie cross-pollination.


I've always considered/wanted to do this, but the bother of having to actually type in my credentials every time and changing my habits has put me off. IIRC, Chrome won't remember my logins/passwords in incognito mode, correct?


You could use a Facebook Disconnect[1] to block all Facebook connect iframes from websites.

[1]: https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/ejpepffjfmamnamb...


I logged in once in regular mode, then I logged out, enough for Chrome to remember the credentials. When I go to Facebook in incognito I get the login page with credentials filled in, I have to click the login button but that's it.


Based on your comment I assume the hot new FF/Chrome plug-in for 2011 will sandbox personal information between sites.




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