Are your family photos safe on Facebook? Not from third party advertisements

July 27, 9:45 AMHouston Family ExaminerLisa Carey

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Photo: Lisa Carey/Keep your family photos safe

Do you use Facebook, MySpace or Twitter to stay in touch with your family and friends? Maybe you log on to connect with old classmates or conduct virtual reunions? Maybe you use these social networking sites to promote your business or self. No matter what your reasons for using Facebook you most probably not only post links, play games, chat and meet your friends online with updates, but also post photos. You probably think only your friends can see those photos, but in the case of Facebook your friends of friends can see them, and strangers may even use them.

CBS Channel 5 news (Alameda CA) reported on July 24, 2009 that” You and your Facebook friends could unwittingly end up in an online ad, the Palo Alto-based social networking site acknowledged.” Think of it, you post a picture of your beautiful preschool daughter to find that later she is on the Facebook Ad sidelines as a “model” for a mom’s website.

In this report, Facebook says that it provides protection from misuse from your photos but that in these cases your photos have been released through access to third party applications.

In a CNN interview this American woman found out that her family photo on Facebook was being used as an advertisement for a grocery store in the Czech Republic. 

Cheryl Smith’s husband was surprised to find on his Facebook page an ad for hot singles and the photo was of his own wife!

How can you prevent your photos from being accessed or used without your permission? Houston area family professional photographer Lindsay Garcia Yazdi of Artisance Photography advises:

Click on SETTINGS up at the top where you see the log out link. Select PRIVACY. Then select NEWS FEEDS AND WALL. Next select the tab that reads FACE BOOK ADS. There is a drop down box, select NO ONE. Then SAVE your changes. Do it now.

For more info:
Is it Really MySpace? 
Facebook, Twitter and Me: Under Attack by Phishing Scams

Injury Board 
CBS News
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