David Rusenko

What if Facebook loses my data? 07/19/2007

I just realized this past week that there is currently no way to export your contact information out of Facebook. A few applications that built this functionality have been taken off-line by request for TOS violations.

Which got me thinking: What would happen if Facebook lost my information? Having gone to college in the Facebook age, would I even know who my college friends were, and how to get in touch with them? (Honestly, probably not)

I sent this question off to Facebook support. Jamie replied:
"Unfortunately, the feature you are requesting is not presently available. We will keep your suggestion in mind, however, as we continue to improve the site. Let me know if you have any further questions."

With all of this excitement over Platform -- even more data in -- how do we find it acceptable that we're unable to back-up any data, at all? In 20 years, will I ever be able to get access to all of the interactions and information that I put into Facebook?

And how do we find it acceptable that Facebook is actively working against us getting any information out?

Edit: Alex3917 on news.YC posts: "There used to be an option to export to CSV. Looks like they got rid of it. The fact that they are actually removing functionality says something."

Comments

Michael Hartl

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 20:58:20

Yeah, I've had some of the same thoughts about Facebook, especially with respect to messages. Facebook messages may be "replacing email", but don't people realize that Facebook controls that information? I fear that many Facebook users will eventually regret abandoning email, where the user remains in control, and will find themselves with a huge message archive that leaves them completely at Facebook's mercy.

Joel Dietz

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:15:29

There is currently a huge need for an open source api for social networking. I really hope the Ning folks (with pmarca in the lead) can do something better, because if not Facebook looks poised to become the next Microsoft.

And that's not something we want...

David Rusenko

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:36:25

@Michael:

Exactly. How the hell will I get any of my Facebook messages after it's/they're gone?

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darcs rocks.

Dil Egitimi

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 08:48:02

do you know any information about this subject in other languages?