Sri Lankans complain against FB

3 August 2011 05:46 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 75 Bookmark

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Sri Lankan officials said Wednesday that they have received more than 1,000 complaints against the social media network facebook.

The U.S.-based facebook is popular in Sri Lanka and is used extensively by locals both young and old as well as by several local institutions and companies.

However a Sri Lankan government-run agency said it continued to receive complaints of users abusing facebook by hacking into other people's accounts or copying images.

"We have received over 1,000 complaints against facebook. We advise facebook users to complain to the U.S. company if they feel their privacy has been violated. If facebook does not respond then we will investigate," Rohana Palliyaguru, senior information security engineer of the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response unit told Xinhua.

The agency has been receiving complaints of people hacking into profiles of young girls and changing their status, taking their pictures and creating fake profiles and threatening users for ransom.

Officials also said that some of the most serious cases are being investigated by the Sri Lankan police criminal investigations unit.

Comments - 75

MM Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:51 AM

There are enough and more Security Settings in FB to protect users. Only thing is some people are not aware of these settings and someone should educate them.

2 13

Moona Pothaya Wednesday, 03 August 2011 09:38 AM

Yap.....It didn't strike me....Are you serious saying this????

6 6

Concerned Wednesday, 03 August 2011 09:03 AM

Even schoolgoing children who are not yet teens are in the FB. High time to take some control measures!

15 8

klk Wednesday, 03 August 2011 08:50 AM

I'M CONNECTED TO MY FAMILY ABROAD THANKS TO FACEBOOK.

3 19

kohuaba` Wednesday, 03 August 2011 08:11 AM

waduronta dali pihi wage unaama ohoma thama...
uneducated or ill socialized people....

4 10

Fithna Wednesday, 03 August 2011 08:01 AM

FB helps people to get connected to friends from faraway. Those,who think its bad can keep away from it. they can always cancell their account. There is good and bad in everything.

3 20

Moona Pothaya Wednesday, 03 August 2011 09:42 AM

Ooooooops!!!

3 3

pasha Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:43 AM

rosh r u an American or Israeli ? linking everything to jihad, Afghanistan and Iran is not the solution for this face book problem

18 9

bigsam Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:36 AM

You better also stay at home since there are a lot of accidents on the road!

10 105

Rosh Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:33 AM

If you bite the bullet, Its your call mate. Education does not mean the mere papre qualifications. It must come with some commonsense as well. Seems you lacked the second part. The victims are sure didnt thinking about their safety but simply joined FB. Your ignorance must not be a cause for a suffering of all the other happy and clever FB users.

4 20

nalaka Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:27 AM

errm, what does the word social mean in our culture? thanks to fb ive found lots of my old friends and relatives. and i feel im close to them. this is 21st century bro your 18th century ideas wont fit in to this time

3 24

John Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:19 AM

The vulnerability is not with Facebook, it's with users. People have this weird belief that FB is riddled with security holes and opens itself up to whatever script kiddie that is passing by. This is not the case. The most common causes for your account and your computer being compromised include clicking on links and files which you don't know trust, having weak passwords and having weak security questions. If anyone can guess your security question, you might as well give them your password and just stop using a computer.

7 87

nalaka Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:24 AM

hacking a website like fb is not easy. i think its impossible. what ppl do is give away there email passwords. if you can access someone's email address you can hack his fb. so these fb newbies needs to be educated.

1 22

nalaka Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:22 AM

you dont have to be a tech guru to set a password and use proper privacy settings. 1. dont give away ur passwords to anyone 2. dont add ppl you dont know about. that's it.

1 19

Rosh Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:15 AM

Its all depends with who uses it. If banning is the solution, then even libraries must be banned as that may contain "BAD" books right??. Is this your so called self explanatory choice? Banning FB is not an option. Read the very first comment at this comments page - All the users must have proper passwords to prevent their accounts being hacked and keep themself in the stealth mode so no unwanted Tom Dick & harry can search for them. last but not least, We were thought and learnt to think much far than any BOOK which dectate everything for your living.

3 20

usaguy Wednesday, 03 August 2011 11:00 AM

I agree with Ranjan. This hacking story is pure nonsense. Go to your account settings / privacy settings and customize all the options avilable. If you dont any one and evry one can access your page and post anything they want. This is what popel are calling hacking.

1 9

budhajeewa Thursday, 04 August 2011 07:17 AM

Really?

2 2

thushany madawala Thursday, 04 August 2011 03:43 AM

be careful about your informations when you are put them in to FB.and dont add unwanted people to your profile. yes change your password when you can. dont miss use FB please .

1 2

roy Wednesday, 03 August 2011 12:03 PM

We are living in democratic socialst country. so we can't ban face book. freedom of expression is paramount

1 11

Cynic Wednesday, 03 August 2011 11:37 AM

First step towards banning Facebook. Did China advise?

1 17

sad sad Wednesday, 03 August 2011 11:21 AM

Thats not a reason? Can't you use Skype? or Yahoo? Whatever good that comes from Facebook - you have to admit that youngsters exposed to this can go the wrong way

14 3

Asitha Wednesday, 03 August 2011 11:11 AM

Why have most people gone bonkers saying that FB is going to be banned ? Nobody has said that and nobody is goin to do it either. C'mon people, relax and get a life. As long as you use FB responsible, no harm can happen to you, just like your bank a/c

1 9

Yasmin Wednesday, 03 August 2011 11:15 AM

It is better not to upload personal photos to FB as there is an option for anyone to download them. They can use it as they wish after that, and that is dangerous.
Parents keep an eye on your kids activities on FB. A lot of teenagers post very personal photos on the FB and these can be misused by others.
Better to be safe than sorry!

6 8

Thomas Wednesday, 03 August 2011 11:10 AM

Don't go fishing into the sea, you might get drowned, FB case also looks same!

1 7

Kaushalya Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:20 AM

"hacking into"?
This made me LMAO

12 46

Jodie Windenburg Wednesday, 03 August 2011 10:26 AM

Exactly, our people have so much tunnel vision. In other countries and also a few in ours, use FB to great extent to promote products and also make sales. If used properly, you can actually make a load of money which could be foreign exchange which will help SL as a whole.

2 14

Jodie Windenburg Wednesday, 03 August 2011 10:24 AM

Please educate us on how socialization happens in "Our Culture" - Also please explain the scenario under this Culture on how we do so with people in other parts of the world including our own who are away from us ?

0 13

Javi Wednesday, 03 August 2011 10:23 AM

This is technology era, thanks the social networks, FB should enhance the security meassures

3 2

Jodie Windenburg Wednesday, 03 August 2011 10:22 AM

Looser !!

2 14

Jodie Windenburg Wednesday, 03 August 2011 10:11 AM

If you are not tech savvy and know that you would be vulnerable you have 2 options - 1. Don't use FB. 2. Use it, but ensure that if someone hacks, your info is noting important for them to go to town with.

0 13

Husam Wednesday, 03 August 2011 10:12 AM

password doesn't help coz da firewall of FB is not too strong!!!!!!

54 10

TJ Wednesday, 03 August 2011 09:50 AM

I am confused about 1000 complaints, who do complaint against what? Basically people in Sri Lanka not going to court now days as it is wasting time, even sri lanka has no IP laws, they making ground to stop FB like social network and email network... Enjoy the out comes, people must get up or sleep, choose your option..

1 5

dn Wednesday, 03 August 2011 09:43 AM

things you should never do in facebook.

Opening an account :P
use facebook mail
add friends and make them become your enemies
adding people you dont know
uploading pictures
joining groups /adding applications/playing stupid games

get a life people ! you all are in a dream world.

5 30

Samba Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:20 AM

Then put your wife's and daughters photos.

84 32

gafa Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:37 AM

This is the best time to BLOCK the site in Sri Lanka now, if the leaders in our country love their nations younger generation

48 12

unesh Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:36 AM

bro i think it should be compared with Afganistan or Iran.

22 59

sxhabeeb Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:34 AM

Sorry Mr. Hafiz... its how you how use the face book.

12 31

manjula_sn Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:39 AM

Facebook greatly help us to keep our friendships with friends in distances and who we have no opportunity to meet because of our busy schedules. Just because you don't know how to properly use it, that doesn't mean it is a bad for society. You know, even a pen can be used as a murder weapon. If you use it properly nothing wrong will happen to you.

10 66

Rosh Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:36 AM

look at those comments. Seems some jihadists wants to make this country also an Afghaniztan or Iran. Your ideologis may work on uneducated and barberic countries only. SL is much more exposed and educated than barberians - whre praise god for all the distruction or blodshed they do !!!

19 42

Another Victim Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:35 AM

The level of Facebook hacking is not at all surprising in SL. Just type 'how' on the google.lk page and one will find that the two most searched under the word 'how' is 1) How to hack Facebook and 2) How to hack Facebook password. Either Sri Lankan's are utterly jobless in trying to hack other people's social networking sites or they just love to create hell for someone.

3 34

Shann Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:30 AM

A Simple solution, do not add unkown people........

1 38

chris abey Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:29 AM

The government is also using it to promote its various stories.The launch of the humanitarian effort during the war which was at the Hilton is all over facebook.

3 29

Ranjan Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:26 AM

In truth, the problem lies in cretins like you, who view the advent of technology as evil. Where would Sri Lanka be if TV was banned as soon as it was introduced? It spreads evil too! If people learn how to use Facebook, it can be used for good. Banning is never the answer.

8 43

manjula_sn Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:43 AM

:O Why don't you tell Govt to close universities because not everybody are that intelligent to select for universities and get a degree? :)

12 55

dinesh Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:20 AM

@ Hafiz Mahabage - How do you know all these ??? Seesm you are adding all the unknown girls and keep on chating...grow up man

15 60

N Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:24 AM

Why should everybody have to suffer because of the stupidity of a few. If you don't have the intelligence to set passwords, etc properly then you shouldn't be on facebook.

6 40

TJ Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:22 AM

making ground to ban this site.. Kid Talks.....

1 23

@1st Century Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:18 AM

This is the 21st century, whether you like it or not.

35 127

Abdul Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:09 AM

It's high time the TRC blocks the site, I am sure better passwords and proper usage will help this problem, but each and everyone wants to use FB, not everybody are tech savvy thus they become easy victims

67 17

Hafiz Mahabage Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:06 AM

Facebook and other social networking sites are a curse and evil to the society. See how much precious time is wasted by the young and the old simply on gossiping in these thuttu deke sites.

146 63

jay Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:08 AM

solution is not banning Facebook, just teach the youth & the old some discipline & how to respect others dignity. Wish every citizen was given a disciplinary & leadership training by the Military.. if so this society would've been a better place to live

16 50

Tharaka Chanaka Wednesday, 03 August 2011 05:59 AM

Just an excuse to ban it...We're in-line with pakistan now

39 130

Sue Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:50 AM

Millions all over the world make good use of FB. If our people don't know how to do it, just avoid it. No one's forcing anyone to publish their personal profiles and their photographs for the whole world to see and then start acting like cry babies when something goes wrong or they get caught to their parents. Grow up Sri Lankans.

1 24

Bird Eye Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:20 AM

Instructions on FB site for privacy is not very clear for a new user, so a new users account is open to everybody untill he/she realize they are open to the world.

1 18

Another Victim Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:10 AM

If Sri Lankans are 'much more educated' how come over 1000 complaints received so far and some of them highly serious? Don't the 'educated' Sri Lankans know how to use social networking sites? This is nothing to do with Jihadist extremism. While people may have their own opinions on banning the site in SL, serious steps should be taken to avoid such abuse online. Facebook often ignores when complained. More than hacking, people now create fake accounts, stealing someone's identity. That is far more worse than hacking your account. You have to be a victim and undergo the abuse to understand that.

17 9

nalaka Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:13 AM

will banning fb solve everything? it wont take much time for everyone to move in to another social network. G+, hi5 there are 10's and 100's of them. wat needs to be done is educate them how to use the privacy settings. banning will never solve this.

1 19

niyaz Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:07 AM

Strange that this is happening in SL. I have not heard of hacking in any other country. (I stand to be corrected with evidence). I for once found it most helpful in tracing my old classmates after 40 years.

1 22

ud Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:01 AM

this is why i don't have an account.facebook isn't safe at all.best thing is not to upload your pictures.using proper password wont help.you must keep on changing the password.at least once the month you have to change your password.

67 37

Bumba Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:59 AM

When the telephone was first developed there was a lot of complains by office messengers saying that it will harm there livelihood. Now ?

4 18

Octavian Wednesday, 03 August 2011 07:04 AM

This is Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka!! Not some Kingdom of Middle East!! Facebook and Google are 2 important aspects of Cyberworld!! Use it in a positive way or just move on if you all dont know how to utilize it!!

4 27

Octavian Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:59 AM

Hahahahaha!! Well said!!

5 26

Bumba Wednesday, 03 August 2011 05:58 AM

Use proper passwords and protect ones self.

15 140

Sean Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:50 AM

Sorry to hear that you don’t have any friends on facebook.

6 33

Bumba Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:49 AM

Yes, in our culture we look up and count the stars.

1 30

jaguar Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:48 AM

Sri Lankan Military...???? hope no

13 22

MuhunaPotha Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:53 AM

Facebook is a menace at times, but it's because our Sri Lankans are crazy. Our ppl have this habit of throwing stones from the dark and not coming up face to face. Weirdos post pictures of ppl they hate just to get back at them. Stuff like that makes us look stupid and increase these complaints. It's a Social issue in SL not FB issues

2 18

Anushka Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:44 AM

The way to stop things like this happening is to follow proper security procedures and use your own brain. If someone doesn't know how to, they should learn first. It's not rocket science after all.

2 21

Mihlar - Jeddah Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:43 AM

Jihadis, Afganistan, iran , Has nothing to do with this issue Rosh, The news item itself self explainetary for the problems we are facing with the face book. It has serious social probles as far as I know. Please think twice b4 you post a comment

28 6

pandula Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:47 AM

Ban it. In our culture social is not mean sit in front of computer and send the text. At least ban this under 16. Can save peoples time.

40 11

Bumba Wednesday, 03 August 2011 06:44 AM

Agree. Sri Lankans are sick.

6 40

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