This is a prime example why I will NEVER have an FB account.

Hang fire! It's stuff posted and commented on in the open anyway. I heard the rumour a few days ago and apparently it's a load of old pony.

The wee pencil isn't appearing for me.

I don't think it would be actual PRIVATE messages but just those that were posted on your wall in those years?

Well, even if it's not true this time, they have done similar high-handed stuff in the past.

But don't some people have access to their wall set so that only selected people can see what's there?

So even if it's just 'WALL' messages, I understand that this now may mean that these previously restricted messages can now be seen by all.

Just reveal what you want to reveal Fluffy. Once a facebook page is customised to a required level of privacy it's probably much safer than open to read forums like this place anyway, which functions like a social network most of the time and is available to the whole www. whether you like it or not.

that's what I'd heard too

You misunderstood. It's just a thing called a cover photo that is currently open to all. So put something innocuous and non-revealing and all should be well. Everything else is still for the audience that were invited in the first place...in my case, to bore my friends with baby pictures.

Correct. I heard about this a week ago, and it was already confirmed as a load of bollox.

What's happened is that Timeline has meant that old Wall posts have been amalgumated under annual banners. Facebook didn't have "Comments" in the early years, so Wall posts were more common and tended to be more "personal".

For those who haven't heard of The Register, it's a good and accessible source of IT news. They covered this story here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2...ed_private_messages/

Note the line at the end:

"El Reg heard from a couple of readers who claimed that their personal messages were showing up on their Timelines. However, no one was able to demonstrate that the alleged security flaw had occurred."

The real story here is that Timeline means people really do need to do a spring-clean of their Wall - which is why FB give you a week's warning before your Timeline goes live. I think a lot of users are getting a shock about what's up there: I barely use FB, and even I had to hide a few posts which I'd rather weren't visible to everyone...

I didn't bother. If I meant it in 2007 I still probably mean it now. Besides it's easier to be genuine with the group I chose to be friends with and network with. I have 2 accounts; real life and forum and don't do fall-outs in either. I'm more candid with my real life friends anyway, and choose to share with them. I don't swear anyway because all my older kids' friends are my facebook friends too