When Facebook's new advertising system, Beacon was launched, few would guess that their most intimate shopping details would be shared online for all to see...

Facebook users who shopped online were wholly embarrassed when Beacon told their friends and businesses what they looked at and bought! What an awful intrusion of privacy. Come to mention it, what a terrible spoilsport for the usual surprises of Christmas gifts!

Needless to say, Facebook users launched a mass protest against the system, which (thankfully) has resulted in the Beacon system being changed. Now Facebook members need to opt-in to allow their shopping habits to be registered, whereas previously the opt-in was essential. Even so, I still think this was a really bad move on behalf of this otherwise great community system, and being truthful I have lost a great deal of trust for the popular site. When my own Facebook profile is online, you can be sure that I won't be sharing any such personal information with the system!

(Source: BBC Technology)