In late 2009, Sophos conducted an experiment to see how easy it can be to steal vital personal data from Facebook users. By creating two fake Facebook accounts and randomly friending users, we found that 46% of users accepted our friend requests, giving us access to a wealth of information.
Of the friended users in their 20s, 89% divulged their full birthdate on their profile. Almost all users posted their email address, and about half listed their town of residence. In the hands of an identity thief, this valuable information can be easily exploited.
We conducted this experiment to determine if Facebook users had become more privacy-savvy in the two years since our first Facebook experiment in 2007. At that time, 41% of users divulged their sensitive personal information to a complete stranger. Our fake Facebook accounts had access to information that can help criminals guess someone's password or even impersonate them.
Of the friended users in their 20s, 89% divulged their full birthdate on their profile. Almost all users posted their email address, and about half listed their town of residence. In the hands of an identity thief, this valuable information can be easily exploited.
We conducted this experiment to determine if Facebook users had become more privacy-savvy in the two years since our first Facebook experiment in 2007. At that time, 41% of users divulged their sensitive personal information to a complete stranger. Our fake Facebook accounts had access to information that can help criminals guess someone's password or even impersonate them.
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