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Story: Facebook locks out Plaxo
Facebook is just protecting its users
I think i have to side with Facebook on this one; being open is one thing, what Robert Scoble tried to do is put people's private details on a social network they never chose to be a part of.
Plaxo acuses Facebook of doing the same thing, but lets look at the differences; when Facebook scrapes your google contacts, it takes the email addresses for the purpose of inviting your contacts to joint facebook, should the person decline, thats the end of the matter.
This script on the otherhand, scrapes your friends' profile pages and that is more than necessary, for example; why does it need someone's gender? why does it need your date of birth?
The question of who the data belongs to is simple, its the user who created it; this means Robert Scoble's profile belongs to him and my profile page belong to me, allowing Robert Scoble to be my friend doesn't mean am comfirtable with him taking my personal details wherever he chooses.
I'll give you a real life example; you have friends who you know their addresses, full name and dates of birth; how would they react if you signed them up for a Tesco Club card?
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