The page's reviews discussed this: “I was planning to use this plugin, but then I realized that it can access all my data (including banking sites etc.) on all websites. While I liked the idea behind the extension, I'm not happy with the security.” Someone else said: “For people who are worried about security issues, educate yourself and click the 'Learn More' button. Do you really think the makers of Buffer are going to use your banking information? This is a good app, well made.”
Whether you can trust the two enthusiastic guys behind Bufferapp is not even a question for me. According to Google, the user should be able to judge that for himself: “Don't install an app or extension unless you trust its creator.” My personal france phone number list fear lies in this phrase from Google itself: “A warning doesn't mean that the item does do something dangerous, just that it could .”
Security and privacy become a slippery slope as the user loses control over more and more applications. Part of the problem lies in the seductiveness of the products and the convenience of the many extras. That makes saying 'no' very difficult.
A good example is the new Timeline from big brother Facebook; initiatives like the memorials of Monuta and the more advanced Memolane can pack up. The new Facebook profile looks perfect. A large photo as an eye-catcher, a smaller avatar, lists with updates of who you know or appreciate and links to everything you do, read, listen to and so on. Even someone like me, who does relatively little with Facebook, sees the inevitable power of this: everyone a Facebook life!
Somewhere among the many comments on Facebook Timeline I read the following description: “You are at a concert of your favorite pop group with your girlfriend. It is a crush in the front line, but the music and the show are fantastic. In your full enthusiasm you turn around in the waving crowd and shout something sweet to your girlfriend. Only then do you realize that you are shouting in the ear of a complete stranger.”