Facebook denies rumours over privacy breach

Social media site Facebook came under attack with claims that user’s private messages were shown...

The popular site Facebook has hit back at claims that its users were having their private messages displayed publicly on the website. Rumour has it that people’s private messages were appearing published on the user’s timelines for all their friends and family to see.

The news came to light on Monday with users claiming that messages they had sent in private between 2007 and 2009 were popping up publicly, and it seems the origin of the debate began in France.

The firm are satisfied that they have not breached user privacy agreements, explaining to the BBC: “The messages were older wall posts that had always been visible on the users' profile pages.”

On looking in to the case, Facebook has confirmed that old messages were reappearing on the website, but that these were not private messages, only old posts that were published by the user on public pages such as their wall or their friends walls.

A Facebook spokesman has confirmed the rumours are false: “A small number of users raised concerns after what they mistakenly believed to be private messages appeared on their Timeline.”

The company also faced a fall in stock shares with the American group Barron’s reportedly saying Facebook stock was worth around $15 a share rather than a $38 flotation price.

The recent privacy issue has seen complaints worldwide according to The Independent, with some Facebook users airing their problems on certain blogs.

Facebook came under fire with similar rumours last year, although it is believed they proved these were false claims.