arstechnica.com — Photos that you think you're deleting from Facebook are still remaining on their servers years later. Ars has been following this story for nearly three years now; Facebook says it's still working on fixing the problem, but that a solution should be ready within months.
Feb 6, 2012 View in Crawl 4
kantspelwriteFeb 6, 2012
Never did trust FB
norman619Feb 6, 2012
Anything you put on the internet will be available to anyone who knows how to look for it. Anything you post get's backed up on countless other servers than the one you posted to. I can still find things I posted in the 80's online. After all this time people STILL don't understand how the internet works.
encognitoFeb 6, 2012
CLAP*CLAP*CLAP! Well done Sir.
endgameFeb 6, 2012
80's?
jftitanFeb 7, 2012
in the late 80s (87 - 89) What was known as Bulletin Boards, still do exist online today. I have IRC transcripts from those days, and sometimes I upload them as reference to the newer form of Bulletin Board Systems (vBulletin). Once someone else copies what I've uploaded that means there will always be a possibility that someone else will host that information.
Just like when someone takes a nude pic and uploads it. Once the image is online, there more than likely will never be a way to remove that pic. Good luck hunting down the fly by night, crawlers.
breadfredFeb 6, 2012
Of course you are correct. But here in the UK we have such as a thing as the Data Protection Act - and if I request data to be deleted from a certain organisation they HAVE to oblige.
Also, this comes back to who owns the data - if I post a photo, is it suddenly the property of Facebook? It certainly sounds like it. That is wrong.
trivialanomalyFeb 7, 2012
Exactly - the internet evolved from a network system that was originally designed to survive a worldwide nuclear war. Don't post anything that you don't want a permanent record of.
wizwearincFeb 6, 2012
Facebook is starting to sound a lot like myspace
http://www.wizwearinc.com/blogs/news/5422212-buy-wiz-wear-products-and-donate-to-the-ymca
nitoriFeb 6, 2012
This is what is wrong with Facebook deleted items should be gone soon after an account is closed.
UncleRuckuFeb 6, 2012
People Who Trust Me Are "Dumb F*cks
mark zuckerberg
ewilleyFeb 6, 2012
I bet Mark Zuckerberg has a massive photo album!!
kikilaiFeb 7, 2012
Sure he does. LOL
kalvinbFeb 6, 2012
I must be old. I've always operated under the assumption that what goes on the internet, stays on the internet.
It's a pretty straight forward solution to run through all the uploaded files on the server and check which ones still have a matching entry in the database. The trick is doing that billions of times and not having a "glitch" resulting in deleted, unrecoverable photos, that people actually wanted.
I'm thinking that this initially was a safety feature for Facebook. Turns out people do delete things on accident and with phones sending pics straight to Facebook, there's not always a backup. Leaving the file on server and using ridiculous file names allowed an undelete without really risking privacy.
I have a framework that doesn't really delete physical files for the same reason. People accidentally delete things. It's not easy, but it's not impossible to go in and find files and relink them if needed. It's just diskspace. Also, since operations are done on files, leaving source files in tact allows you to retroactively fix bugs with file processing.
forchristaloneFeb 6, 2012
This is nothing knew. Anything you put online will always be online. It's not really that hard of a concept. Just think before you act. The internet is written in ink.
x00xFeb 6, 2012
Facebook says it's still working on fixing the problem. This is one among innumerable ways Facebook displays` utter disdain and apathy they have for their users' dignity, privacy. Why bother respecting customer's requests to delete pictures that may benefit Facebook, say. used as a great promo (over +10 trillion quadrillion friends images) that they won't ever found out about, and if they do we'll just tell them we're working on it. A similar reason like this had me quit Facebook a long time ago and if it wasn't for the grace of Google that intervenes to stop spam mail/unsubscribe Facebook some bulls**t spam reminder, I'd be at 97% of my gmail capacity.
tehravenFeb 6, 2012
SIMPLE SOLUTION: Don't post something that might make you look like an ass.
MissionaBlertzFeb 6, 2012
Because nobody tags people in photos that those tagged in wish not to be seen, right?
That's too easy/you're too simple-minded
tehravenFeb 6, 2012
Okay, SIMPLER SOLUTION: Don't be an ass.
MissionaBlertzFeb 6, 2012
I just responded arrogantly without thinking my comment through; as did you.
tehravenFeb 6, 2012
No . . . that wasn't a retort . . . that was an actual simpler solution . . . Ay, if you're not being an assclown with a cam around, HEYYYY! No sweat, amirite? Or maybe it's too hard to not be an assclown? har har har har har (lord knows i wish i could take back that whole goatse thing, WAIT WHAT?! *cough*)Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
geeknizerFeb 6, 2012
HAte FB Hate!
bigpunFeb 6, 2012
Seriously, who in their mind would care about this?
The pictures would only be accessible if it's direct link was known. I upload my pictures to Facebook and I don't know the name and direct URL of any of the images. So when if I 'delete' them, I don't concern myself that other people can still access them.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
swarbsblogFeb 6, 2012
I think the big issue is that a company can have this kind of power over you.... "give a dog a treat and he'll come back for more"?... If you click on a scam link, you deserve what's coming to you but I think you have the right to have a second thought about what you type and post, that makes us human, it's progressive. Shrugging your shoulders at this type of thing is basically like saying... "Even though I'm straight, I'm totally cool with you guys f**king me up the butt once a week, just holla ya'll"
swarbsblogFeb 6, 2012
Unless your gay AND a slut, then I guess it's your lucky day.
marpolekFeb 6, 2012
And are they doing anything with these photos? I guess no, it is huuuuuuuge database.
mahmoudghaliFeb 6, 2012
http://imagetwist.com/6bvwtvezser7/Panorama_di_Rio.jpg.html
ronnyjosephleticiaFeb 6, 2012
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my gosh my nude piks !!!!
apollothemarvelFeb 6, 2012
So what exactly are they doing to these photos that are still floating around in the servers?
smsaqlainshahFeb 6, 2012
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gregpixFeb 25, 2012
fb is to narcissistic for me.
http://www.gregpix.com/facebook.htm
yamunagagFeb 12, 2012
grert
jacleseauFeb 11, 2012
The only reason I am still on Facebook is because I manage pages for some non-profits.
g21networkFeb 10, 2012
really shocking
markwikFeb 7, 2012
the bigger FB gets the more difficult/less they care about protecting individual clients. no different from any other super corp.
bloodrainFeb 6, 2012
and this is why i dont use facebook
mawdsFeb 6, 2012
Sharing Your Content and Information
You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook, and you can control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings. In addition:
1 For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.
2 When you delete IP content, it is deleted in a manner similar to emptying the recycle bin on a computer. However, you understand that removed content may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time (but will not be available to others).
3 When you use an application, your content and information is shared with the application. We require applications to respect your privacy, and your agreement with that application will control how the application can use, store, and transfer that content and information. (To learn more about Platform, read our Privacy Policy and Platform Page.)
4 When you publish content or information using the Public setting, it means that you are allowing everyone, including people off of Facebook, to access and use that information, and to associate it with you (i.e., your name and profile picture).
5 We always appreciate your feedback or other suggestions about Facebook, but you understand that we may use them without any obligation to compensate you for them (just as you have no obligation to offer them).
When you click the tick for the T&C, this is what you agree to.
beachsideladyFeb 6, 2012
to slow facebook
captswuitsFeb 6, 2012
You guys didn't know about this? Old news guys.
atomicjimmymackFeb 6, 2012
If FB privacy was a concern to you before, now that there are investors who will demand greater and greater profits each quarter (unsustainable without cutting corners and shady dealings), expect your information to be sold directly to Madison Avenue.
proremodelers1Feb 6, 2012
Yeah i bet they are making some profit off of our photos! Or who knows..
onlinehealth86Feb 6, 2012
Facebook keep all the information for you and can use it agains you of course.
Closed AccountFeb 6, 2012
Facebook actually redirects your personal image content to its own ads. I myself have had Facebook use images I've deleted months earlier to create ads for Facebook services.
This is a clear and egregious misuse of copyrighted materials, and Facebook should be called to task for this behavior. I did, and got nothing but grief, so I ended my relationship with this company.
Why does FB think they can retain my copyrighted images? Regardless of their terms of use, this is a direct violation of law, AND a total middle finger to users' privacy concerns. People who delete something from an online profile have a reasonable assumption that this information will be purged from the servers, not the illusion of deletion, while the data is retained. What FB is doing is bulls**t, illegal, and insulting.
ereneeFeb 6, 2012
so don't put embarrassing photos up on the net or on FB, that may come back to haunt you.
MissionaBlertzFeb 6, 2012
Because nobody tags people in photos that those tagged in wish not to be seen, right?
That's too easy/you're too simple-minded
ereneeFeb 6, 2012
it's not that hard to remove the tags. calling me names doesn't make you smart.
MissionaBlertzFeb 6, 2012
You are correct; me thinking things through indicates my intelligence, whereas your lack of thought indicates your lack of intelligence.
Un-tagging does not make it so you cannot be re-tagged...
f**king think things through for once; its obvious you only recognize your side instead of thinking about the pros and cons of both...
Ass...there, NOW i lowered myself to "name-calling" for ya
worldgate989Feb 6, 2012
So your saying that pictures of your shaved vagina that you took after a all night kegger are still on the internet? Of course they are, and they are on a thousand websites advertising the 'sluts of facebook', guess what your a member now.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
greatwhitmonkeyFeb 6, 2012
So is Facebook still selling the photo's to Adult website where they can photoshop someone jizing on your face?
smsaqlainshahFeb 6, 2012
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smsaqlainshahFeb 6, 2012
SpareRoom (hassnpso7)
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fast! 1000s of rooms for rent
in flatshares across London,
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Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow and
the rest. www.spareroom.co.ukComment is buried, click here to see the rest.
debrinconcitaFeb 6, 2012
SO when I think that they are DELETED they are being saved somewhere? I hope not???
kattinparisFeb 6, 2012
ahaan kool..
bimala1234Feb 6, 2012
i like it