News: Facebook unilaterally changes users email addresses

Whether it is to protect users’ email privacy as claimed, or more deceptively, become the go-to destination for email, Facebook has come under fire for changing the email address shown on users profile to one that points to their Facebook inbox.

While people may refer those they meet to their Facebook profile to pick up their online details, including their particular email address, as of this week, all email addresses on one’s profile page point to an @facebook.com one.

Notable tech sites, such as TechCrunch, Gizmodo, ArsTechnica and Forbes have lambasted the move as being a lame, ham fisted attempt to force the oft ignored service on its users.

Facing facts

In a statement sent to Reuters’ Matthew Keys, the company explained that it was “updating addresses on Facebook to make them consistent across our site.”

The statement continued that “ever since the launch of timeline, people have had the ability to control what posts they want to show or hide on their own timelines, and today we’re extending that to other information they post, starting with the Facebook address.”

In addition to everyone receiving an address, the company continued that it was also “rolling out a new setting that gives people the choice to decide which addresses they want to show on their timelines.”

However, by default that address is automatically set to one’s Facebook email, not a third party address of one’s choosing.

Fixing foibles

For those who have dedicated and multiple email addresses for various purposes, this means that one manually has to restore and reselect the email account that is shown on their Timeline.

Thankfully, doing so is not much of a chore. Under ‘Edit profile’, choose ‘ contact info’ and then using the drop down arrows, select ‘show on profile’ for the email address of your choosing.

You can also customise whether this should be visible to your friends, made public, or only visible to select groups. Once done, click ‘save changes’.

To the point

Quite frankly, we have to concur with other technology sites; we find the move an ill conceived, annoying blunder on Facebook’s part. Trying to shove one’s services down users’ throats is never a good idea, and generally only augments one’s repulsion for the very service that the company is question was trying to promote.

Facebook unilaterally changes users email addresses

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