I logged into Facebook yesterday to find the list of groups I was a part of was huge. Well over a hundred, some I left years ago, some I barely recognised (short lived in-jokes from 2007) and others I wish I didn’t remember.
I was suddenly a member of every group I’d ever joined, even ones that had been deleted years ago.
Further proof that Facebook really does remember everything we do—forever.
To make matters worse, groups I set up, and had needed to remove people a few people from over the years (for unacceptable behaviour) had all the offenders and their content reinstated.
Facebook have admitted there was a mistake, which on the one hand is positive, at least they’re standing up to say an error was made.
I don’t think they’re being honest about how many people it’s affected. Everyone I’ve interacted with over the past 24 hours has had it crop up. But my main concern is simply that an error like this was able to happen. People who had left groups, private, closed groups, were now able to see all the content since they left.
It was a mistake sure, but mistakes of this magnitude shouldn’t be happening in a company the size of Facebook. I’m beginning to wonder if I test the online communities, sites and systems I’m involved with more rigorously.
After all, I’ve never had a privacy scare. Not one. 🙂
When all is said and done though, and statements are issued and emergency fixed made, here’s my final take on the whole thing:
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/petermahoney/status/274091747422916608″]
The thing that’s pissing me off the most is that I now *can’t leave* the re-added groups, because it’s telling me I’m not a member.
If it were possible to stab a virtual entity in the face…
Really? Wow. I didn’t have that trouble myself, but I expect the “fix” they were rolling out could have made things worse, after all I’ve lost faith that they’re testing all these updates extensively.
You had faith they were testing their updates extensively? :oD