Consumer

Facebook Profiles To Be Exposed To Online Search

PALO ALTO (CBS) ― Bonnie Smith communicates with friends through a fun Facebook page laced with photos, notes, and personal information. She's not alone as 40-million others do the same with the Palo Alto-based social networking site.

"I'm not using it to meet new people," said Smith. "It's mostly to keep in touch with friends and friends I haven't seen in a while. We write funny things to each other."

But all of that personal communication could soon be exposed to anyone searching the net. That's because Facebook is following other networking sites and opening its user listings to Google, Yahoo and other search engines starting in October. It's an effort to get people who don't use the site to find friends and become Facebook members.

Smith moved from MySpace to Facebook because she opted for what she thought was a more private service, geared toward college students and not the general public.

She set her privacy setting for "everyone" and now realizes any stranger can see her personal information and pictures.

"Wow. That's kind of scary," said Smith. "Now I have no idea who's looking at my profile."

David Spark is a technology analyst who says Bonnie -- and others - need to check their privacy settings. They do so by clicking on the "privacy" button in the upper right corner of the website.

A Facebook spokesperson says the company is posting reminders on the site as well.

"We are making public search listings available to give people who are not currently registered on Facebook the opportunity to discover their friends on the site," said the representative. "A public search listing only shows the name and profile picture."

Bonnie is changing her privacy settings so a search will only turn up her name and face.

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