Dear AoIR-ers: Some might be interested in this Facebook dataset release, and the issues I raise regarding its "anonymization". -mz Facebook Data of 1.2 Million Users from 2005 Released: Limited Exposure, but Very Problematic http://michaelzimmer.org/2011/02/15/facebook-data-of-1-2-million-users-from-... Recently, a Facebook dataset was released consisting of the complete set of users from the Facebook networks at 100 American institutions, and all of the in-network “friendship” links between those users as they existed at a single moment of time in September 2005. Surprisingly, it initially included each users unique Facebook ID, meaning the presumed “anonymous” dataset could be easily re-identified, potentially putting the personal information of 1.2 million Facebook users at risk. -- Michael Zimmer, PhD Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies Co-Director, Center for Information Policy Research University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee e: zimmerm@uwm.edu w: www.michaelzimmer.org