My Data is My Data: Protecting Your Privacy on the Internet

I have been working with the gang over at Flugpo to put together a plug-in for Internet Explorer (IE) for Windows that will allow folks to be able to track what is going on with Facebook Beacon, your cookies, your JavaScript, and Facebook's advertising partners. Thing is, it isn't out of private alpha yet so if you're interested, please join either the Flugpo MyDataisMyData group or the Facebook My Data is My Data group and we'll let you know when it's up! Via the Social Media News Room.

What is My Data is My Data?

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  MyDataisMyData.org empowers users of social network sites by giving the user control over the personal information an SNS can surreptitiously collect and sell.

• Flugpo.com, an SNS that never has and never will collect or sell private information about its users, sponsored the development of a plug-in that will be available through MyDataIsMyData.org

Why Was My Data is My Data Created?

• MyDataIsMyData.org was created as a direct response to Facebook Beacon.
• Beacon is Facebook’s way of making a profit from your private information by selling it to online retailers (such as Amazon.com or Blockbuster)
• When Beacon was first introduced, whenever a Facebook user purchased something with one of the participating online retailers, a message would be sent to the users “friends” on Facebook notifying them of the his or her endorsement of the retailer

Facebook and its Advertisers are Spying on You Right Now

• Although Facebook has stopped publicizing their users personal information on purchases to their Facebook friends, it has not stopped spying on its users and selling their personal information for profit
• MyDataIsMyData.org wants to help the user be aware of which retailers are using this method of data collection so he or she can choose to avoid those retailers

Take Back Your Privacy with the My Data is My Data Plug-In

• The free plug-in is a toolbar that will allow users several different options to monitor and delete Cookies, offline content and track visits to Facebook Beacon collaborator companies.
• Once equipped with the plug-in, the user decides how often he or she would like certain Cookies deleted. The user can choose to delete Facebook cookies, Facebook Beacon collaborator companies’ cookies, both, all cookies, or none. The user may also choose to delete all or no offline content at various time intervals. The user can set up the toolbar to notify him or her of visits to Facebook Beacon collaborator website. It will also feature a drop-down list of these collaborators updated on a daily basis through the MyDataIsMyData.org website.

Protect your Own Privacy…and Help Other Victims Do the Same

• The features MyDataIsMyData.org is offering are meant to protect users privacy and allow them to be more conscious of the way their private information is being used. The plug-in is a work in progress and we need your feedback, bug reports and suggestions to make it better.
• Support for users of the toolbar will be provided though a forum on Flugpo.com.

About Flugpo

Flugpo was developed to be a place where people can go to make friends, share photos, network professionally, share ideas, buy and sell items & list and locate jobs. As an online resource for eveyday people, Flugpo creates opportunities for businesses to promote their services. Aside from the professional aspect, Flugpo is a great community for people to make new friends, share common interests and reach out to like-minded individuals and discuss current topics, review top movies and share stories.

Flugpo is often referred to as "Myspace meets Craigslist" by their staff and members. Created in the 2007, Flugpo takes an interesting approach to classified listings by eliminating the anonymity features found with Craigslist and allowing the members to connect with one another. “The classifeds, as the world knows them now has no community, said David Metz, founder of Flugpo. Each classified posting is linked to the profile of the member posting the ad. Given the current landscape of Internet safety, Flugpo is quick to address safety concerns by connecting all classified listings with a "face and name."

To learn more visit www.flugpo.com or email David Metz, CEO, at davidmetz@flugpo.com