Facebook tracking your phone calls and texts - security issue for punters

[Barry Shipton]

I know I’m probably preaching to the converted about using a basic ‘burner’ punting phone but if you still use a smartphone for punting calls and texts you might want to think again.

In all the recent privacy row over Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, you might not have noticed stories in the tech press that say the Facebook app on Android has been recording all you calls and texts to match them against its database to suggest new ‘friends’. Of course they say they need your mobile for ‘security’ to verify your account but the reality is rather different.

Facebook have denied it of course but reading UKP you will have seen loads of references to people saying they have seen escorts photos popping up as Friend suggestions on FB - which means you are also popping up on theirs!

External Link/Members Only

Even if you delete the call log or text, even if you have a multi SIM phone and only use a PAYG card then Facebook may already have logged it. Never mind about a spouse or work colleague trawling through your phone history - you’ve already allowed Facebook to do it for them!

So if you and an escort have both used the app on a smartphone you may pop up one up in each other’s feeds. Embarrassing maybe - but as that may give them access to details of where you live, work, your wife or girlfriend, workmates or your boss - don’t have to spell out the dangers of some lowlife escorts and pimps who have blackmailed punters in the past.

And if Facebook do it you can guarantee Google, Twitter, Linked in and every other social network and app does it too.

[dubs]

Good post.

You can check what data facebook has saved by going to - External Link/Members Only and clicking "Download a copy of your Facebook data."

It takes a few minutes and I found my data was OK apart from a few WGs numbers I had in my old phone.

[Barry Shipton]

Forgot to say they’ve been reading your emails for years of course - with gmail you give Google the right to read everything.

I get the most obscure suggestions linked to someone who might have emailed my work account. The Ashley Maddison dating affairs agency showed thousands of US users had signed up with work, government and military email addresses.

But of course no one would use a real email to contact an escort or agency would they? 

[Students Notebook]

Good post.

You can check what data facebook has saved by going to - External Link/Members Only and clicking "Download a copy of your Facebook data."

It takes a few minutes and I found my data was OK apart from a few WGs numbers I had in my old phone.

I've requested mine from my laptop and when I click on it it says "Umm, can't reach this right now"

Any suggestions please.

S.N.

[Swsnapper]

I was hoping my data file would have had some filthy pics my ex sent me on FB messenger I managed to lose, but sadly not.

[Diehard]

Forgot to say they’ve been reading your emails for years of course - with gmail you give Google the right to read everything.

I get the most obscure suggestions linked to someone who might have emailed my work account. The Ashley Maddison dating affairs agency showed thousands of US users had signed up with work, government and military email addresses.

But of course no one would use a real email to contact an escort or agency would they? 

Always useful to set up hundreds of gmail accounts none of which are your real name.

For personal emails best to use a work email that just friends and family get you on.

[Happylad]

If you`ve no more sense than to put all the details of your private life on Facebook then what do you expect.

I have a Facebook page, but apart from an old photo of me it contains absolutely nothing except several hundred suggestions from Facebook about people I might know, which I ignore.

[Happylad]

I`ve just followed the link and checked my Facebook data - one old photo, no personal details whatever, and 5 old messages from a couple of relatives both now dead.  I think I`m safe enough