Facebook Integration poll

[JPK]

I'm not a fan of all this "Social Network" technology (FB, Twitter, some of the SmartPhone on-board apps, etc.) and the associated pitfalls. Even when one takes the time to set the privacy settings to uber, there is none. Too easy for bad guys to abuse.

IMHO.

 

[bulbboy]

Hey, if you don't want to participate through Facebook, no one is forcing you to click the button.

well said

 

[Perrone]

Could you at least make the button not stand out so much perhaps? It looks so out of place as far as the colors and whatnot go. Maybe remove the button and replace it with text in line with the other links up there.

 

[Kelly Drown]

As I read through the negative comments on this, I find that there a few legitimate reasons scattered amongst mostly "I just don't like it" or "I don't trust facebook" type of votes. If you don't use the facebook option, there is zero interaction between you and facebook so really saying "no" just because you personally don't like facebook doesn't really apply to the intent of the poll. You can simply ignore it and it has no impact or affect on you whatsoever.

I'm more concerned with the comments about it causing some layout problems for people or hits on your content filters from your workplace. Has anyone actually tested this or are you just saying without verifying? The reason I ask is that I've taken measures to ensure that the graphics displayed regarding the facebook connection are local to the site here. It does NOT go to FaceBook to pull those graphics. There should also be no interaction between this site and Facebook unless you activate this connection. Other than a url link to FB on the page it shouldn't be actually going to FB for anything. The software is supposed to check to see if you as a user have chosen this active link, then establish an interaction with FB. If you don't use it, it should be nothing more than a graphic picture and url link from the local site here.

I would be interested if someone is actually getting any cross site notices with facebook as a result of this option if they're not using it. I don't think it's happening but I haven't tested this myself.

And yeah, my work blocks this sites and all gun sites as well so that is a pretty common thing, even in Oklahoma.

 

[Kelly Drown]

Could you at least make the button not stand out so much perhaps? It looks so out of place as far as the colors and whatnot go. Maybe remove the button and replace it with text in line with the other links up there.

That should be doable without any problems. I haven't addressed any graphical layout on the site yet so that should be doable when I start modifying colors and layout. I certainly don't have a problem with that.

 

[Perrone]

That should be doable without any problems. I haven't addressed any graphical layout on the site yet so that should be doable when I start modifying colors and layout. I certainly don't have a problem with that.

Sounds good to me That's the only problem I have with it. I don't use facebook, but if others like the feature then leave it up so they can use it. like Veggie said, if you don't like it don't click it.

 

[vvvvvvv]

It does NOT go to FaceBook to pull those graphics. There should also be no interaction between this site and Facebook unless you activate this connection. Other than a url link to FB on the page it shouldn't be actually going to FB for anything.

It does pull the Javascript from Facebook for FBConnect in the footer. Even if you duplicate that file on OSA, the JavaScript still makes API calls to Facebook.

It also hits Facebook to interpret the FBML used such as <fb:like>.

That's why I think it might be good to do a plugin that makes the Facebook features conditional for those who have explicitly chosen to enable them. I've done it on Drupal, but I'm not sure how vBulletin would implement it without being able to play with it.

But basically, the way I do it on Drupal is allow the user to specify their preference in their profile (disabled by default). The module then checks to see if that variable returns true and proceeds to enable the Facebook modules. If that variable returns false, Facebook related modules don't appear or function for those users.

Each call to Facebook will register with content filters such as Sonicwall. I know from experience administering content filters.

Sites get blocked automatically by vendors because of third-party solutions that those sites use. For example, News9 was blocked by Sonicwall for over a year because they use WorldNow as their CDN for media and graphics. WorldNow is also a very popular CDN for the porn industry, and so News9 was automatically classified as a porn site. Every time someone went to access News9, they got logged as attempting to access porn on the clock.

 

[bettingpython]

Kelly,

I don't handle networking where I am at now, but from past experience I can tell you yes it logs each page hit.
I also had to explain to my boss and the IT director why I made 50 attempts to access facebook when a developers forum I was reading had facebook links that are blocked a little while back.

Your little facebook like thumbs up at the top of the page is what is blocked by our offices content filter. It actually displays a blocked content banner in place of the facebook connection.

I think Bierhunter does some network security and content filter management and posted some data earlier in this thread.

Thanks for listening to the concerns of us who have reason to dislike the facebook link.
If it gets caught eventually I'll just have to browse it on my phone or tether my laptop like I have to do for other sites that are blocked.

As far as browser comparability IE7 will be going away soon. As much as I despise them I still have to use IE for our finance app since it's built on .net and silverlight. Otherwise I use chrome personally and am getting ready to give IE9 a chance.

 

[Bierhunter]

I'll be glad to test things out at work Monday and see what shows up in our security logs, and I'll post it here, so we can see what it looks like.

Personally I feel that if people want to use it, that's fine....for those of us that don't, that's fine too. What bothers me is how those sites try to integrate themselves into everything online, and it can become a security management nightmare.

Last year, I spent 2 weeks convincing HR not to fire a guy; because he wasn't actually using Twitter. It was just all of the links on the news sites and everything else. One of the twitter links went to a porn star's Twitter page, and it just happened to be in the ad rotation. Fortunately, he was found innocent. I don't think he ever went on the internet at work again. HR scared the H#$@ out of the poor guy.

Really though, there aren't many of us at work that visit OSA; so the facebook hits will be minimal. I've run reports just out of curiosity on the OSA site from work, and it's myself and maybe a couple of others and some guest visitors once in a while that actually come here. Not sure who the others are. I keep meaning to track them down and say 'hi', but I get busy doing other things.

 

[uniquediversity]

lol you got me. no just one of the few people at work that can actually work on electrohydraulics and get it right.