Facebook and personal data, plus how to stay safe online

There have been some reports that Facebook is monitoring call and text data from android devices when you install the facebook messenger app. Facebook denies these accusations, however people still wonder if their personal call and text data is safe.

Apparently the reports have only mentioned Android phones and not iPhones specifically, however the facebook messenger app when installed on a apple or droid device will still ask to access you call logs, call data, and contact list.

People don't often read the disclaimers when they install apps and they are giving the apps permission to read, write and transmit data. The same thing goes for the games on facebook, you have to sign in to the game via facebook and when doing that you are giving permission for facebook to provide personal data from your profile like your birthday, full name and possibly telephone number.

Who knows who creates these games and apps. Hackers love posting fake or information phishing links. Like the ones that show you what you will look like in 50 years, or the ones that tells you who you are most compatible with. When you click these links, they need permission to access your profile to gather data on you, like what you like to do, who you like to do it with, and so on and so fourth.

You are basically giving some random person information on you and you don't even know it.

To avoid this data from being shared you do have the power to limit your shared information on facebook by changing your privacy settings.

Users should also opt to utilize the two factor authentication when logging in to facebook and any other app or site that stores personal data. Most sites will allow you to set up your phone number to receive a text message with a unique code that is used to log in to the website or app you are trying to long into.

Passwords are becoming more and more unreliable, so the two factor authentication makes logging in more secure. 

Best case scenario keep your personal data private, and limit the amount of life you post on facebook and any other social media site.