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"When Facebook opened up its platform last year, a lot of developers were happy, the media hailed it as one of the smartest moves in social media, and the backlash from users was minimal, at least when compared to the onslaught of nasty comments Facebook users left when the newsfeed feature came out.  \nAnd even though Facebook\u2019s user base has yet to match that bout of an uproar in response to newsfeeds, nearly every major feature since has brought us squarely back to that all-telling story that publishes everything about our lives.  Just as Zuckerberg promised, the newsfeed feature would be central to the future of Facebook.  Had it not been for the newsfeeds, the open platform\u2019s applications wouldn\u2019t be nearly as viral.  They've even helped the larger population shift its attitude about sharing information in a public way, with friends.  \nWhen Facebook opened its doors, there was still plenty of talk about the loss of privacy as a result of Facebook granting developers access to its database, along with security issues posed to all its users as well.  But as a BBC article points out, an investigation by Click has revealed that it\u2019s not just the developers that are gaining access to some of your private information\u2014it can be passed onto users through these applications as well.  \n\nSure, Facebook has tweaked its privacy options as a result of complaints regarding the open platform and its Beacon program, but the BBC is also suggesting that MySpace has curbed these privacy issues suffered by Facebook by taking its time to opening its platform.  \nThe issue comes down to spam.  \nThere are some applications that are out to collect details from you for their own personal gain.  These are bad.  With MySpace taking a more controlled approach\u2014hosting apps on their servers and inspecting all code\u2014could Facebook lose face over this particular situation?  Perhaps the tables have turned, with Facebook becoming the cluttered, overbearing network where nothing is really as it appears.  \nAnd despite certain privacy measures taken by Facebook, applications that interact directly through games and quizzes can still get the info they need in order to spam friends or sell the data elsewhere.  What\u2019s the solution here (and I don't think charging for app promotion is an option)?  Facebook already has a bad rap for tightening screws on app developers, but the company will likely continue to do so as it needs to address the issue in an ongoing manner.  Until more standards arise for the practice of open platform, this is a troubling byproduct that acts as a mere microcosm of what exists on the Internet as a whole."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2008/05/01/when-did-facebook-get-more-spammy-than-myspace/>