There are 500 millions users on Facebook. People spend more than 700 billion minutes per month on the site. In addition, people on Facebook install 20 million applications everyday. Application are includes games, knowledge test and special features you can use to interact with other users. But has anyone noticed “Allow Access” sign before you using the application? Now more than thousands of companies have our name, personal contact information and where we live. They also have the guarantee access to our friends when we simply click the “Allow Access” button.
 
While in 2010, when people were driven by popular games, such as Farmville, Mafia Wars and Restaurant City, these third-party sites automatic had 500 millions users information for their advertising and data-gathering trades among companies. The companies did not need users’ permission but simply have Facebook provide this information platform for itself to collect data.

After the information was revealed, society frowned upon Facebook for creating such dangerous site, letting personal information to be released without warning. In the same month October 2010, Facebook release new movie called “The Social Networking” creating positive press image? From 2010 to 2011, Facebook user jumped 43 percent, and it increased dramatically after the movie was released.

 Although it saved them from being a public target, Facebook still did not provide an alternative solution for the problem. Recently, Facebook has changed the privacy setting to “Allow Access.” If users want access to certain features or applications, they will have to click the ‘Allow’ button. The applications will automatically have access to your name, profile picture, gender, networks, user ID, list of friends, current address and mobile phone number. Using credit cards while shopping on Facebook will risk the possibility of having his or her information being released to third-party companies.

 In the end, who will be protecting our identity? Only we can help ourselves. According to an article in the Jan. 10, Washington Post, Facebook is offering expanded secure browsing. Whenever you use a Facebook app that does not support HTTPS, the site will automatically switch you back to secure browsing. Based on that, Facebook will conduct reviews for third-party applications, based on how many users they have, it will catch and remove bad applications. However, will this enough to protect us? The best way will be reading what you are allowing before pressing the “Allow” button.