Facebook uses implication IDs to track link sources

The following link will not work as I have altered my implication ID to the number 666 and so facebook rejects the forward. Apart from me changing the ID, this is right click copy address.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fwillheaven%2F100085835%2Fwhy-that-photo-of-a-dead-osama-bin-laden-is-almost-certainly-a-photoshopped-fake%2F&h=666

As governments want to keep track of you more and more, it comes as no surprise that facebook does not actually let your browser link direct to, a page, but insists on directing you through a link forwarding system, which contains a source implication ID.

The link forward refuses to work unless a valid implication ID is used, and so attempts to force the user into revealing the source of the link they may have received by email or over an IRC channel, or by some other means.

You can demonstrate this by using

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fwillheaven%2F100085835%2Fwhy-that-photo-of-a-dead-osama-bin-laden-is-almost-certainly-a-photoshopped-fake%2F&h=29b54 which actually has my implication ID for this post. Well I think it's just for this post or I'll be implicated in everything wrongfully. And if this is so represents a statutory violation of the data protection act, by not taking care of information which could personally identify me. i.e. personal (false) information which could or is used against me.

Have a go yourself, and enjoy the marvels of the 666 campaign.

pinkyandperky

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

It never ceases to amaze me how many people still use Facebook

02.05.2011 13:56

FFS, if you're worried about the million and one ways Farcebook is misusing your data and spying on you and your friends STOP USING IT.

Crazy Barry

I have stopped sort of

02.05.2011 15:01

I use it for the thing I still use it for and do other things other ways. I see no reason to not inform people of the potential for data mismanagement, and would happily recommend facebook for certain uses. Introduction of security problems is something people should become aware of. One of my current investigations is in how far

http://myopera.com can achieve the same function, along with twitter (using bit.ly which is also a link following site, track, track...), or how other sites can effectively be useful.

I have had no problems with my Google account forwarding using implication IDs, (but there maybe things I have not spotted, hidden in frames), Yahoo's main problem is it's slow mail. I even have tried Microsoft office live, and find I did not need it much, if at all, but it probably spies on me in use like no end.

I often find what my arse does difficult to live with, but I also find it difficult to stop using for more than a few days. :)

pinkyandperky

Facebook is a private company

02.05.2011 20:00

Hence, they can do what they want with their own website.
If they want to track the ideas, then thats their lawful business

jabber

Facebook Flash Expose

03.05.2011 00:16

Great little flash video explaining the murky world behind Facebook:

http://albumoftheday.com/facebook/

steve

Arse

03.05.2011 22:25

> I often find what my arse does difficult to live with, but I also find it difficult to stop using for more than a few days. :)

Your arse is a lot more useful than Facebook :)

Crazy Barry